Coda Del Pesce, Isle Of Palms, SC

Our Tale Of The Fish


In my humble opinion, there has been a lack of quality dining in Isle of Palms for quite some time which is why we were excited that Ken Vedrinski (of Trattoria Lucca fame) was bringing his talents to the beach. 

Vacationers may find the name “Coda del Pesce” (Tail of the fish), a bit confusing, but the menu is primarily seafood and pasta.

Although our entire party hadn’t arrived we were quickly seated and offered beverages by our server.  She was then, and would remain, a great resource throughout our dining experience.

Our friends quickly arrived and we ordered cocktails while we perused the menu.  There was some confusion about what one of our friends ordered, as she was presented with the wrong drink initially and my “Cosmo”, also a late delivery, was just a suggestion of a beverage, a short pour.  All in it took 40 minutes for our beverages to arrive.  Not a great start.

Olive Tapenade & Fresh Baked Bread

As we began to order appetizers our server coached us, which was helpful.  She said, “The appetizers are ‘portioned’ and you might want to order a few more.”  Did this mean small, I thought?  Regardless we ordered a Grilled Calamari, Tomato, Eggplant, Fett’una, 2 Yellowfin “Arancini”, Radish, Jalapeno, Fennel, Citrus Marmellata, and a Burrata, Smoked Salmon, Giardinier – all delightful.

Yellowfin Arancini

Smoked Salmon

Grilled Calamari 

We ordered dinner just as our appetizers were delivered and then waited, and waited, and waited.  At the 60 minute mark I turned to one of our friends and said, “Does this seem long to you?”  Even with great conversation the time was starting to drag.  Never the less, we chatted on while the tables around us (seated after us) were served.

At the 90+ minute mark our entrees were served.  Really?  90 minutes.

Five out of the six entrees were a win. The Handmade Shells, Flash Seared Scallops, Asparagus with lemon was well received.  The Conchiglioni, Blue Crab, Herb Parmesan Brodo  - Large shells with crab was good, but our friend said the pasta was under cooked.

Handmade Shells With Scallops

Conchiglioni Blue Crab Herb Parmesan Brodo

Grandma’s Gnudi was a big win, as was the Grouper Saltimbocca and the Flounder Peperonata with Chicken Sugo. 

Gnudi

Grouper Saltimbocca

I had what could arguably have been the easiest dish to get out of the kitchen – Pici (chubby spaghetti), and an Octopus Bolognese. What a disappointment.

Pici Bolognese

My Pici was barely cooked, and inedible. I asked the server (who had tried her best throughout the evening) to take it back to the kitchen and see what could be done.  Here’s where it gets interesting.

The Manager came to our table to discuss our mishap.  It was at this point that he began to try to “educate” me on pasta cooking and that “Pici” was meant to be cooked that way.  “Hard and crunchy?” my husband asked. It was at that point that I wanted to dust off my passport, fly to Italy and see for myself if this was indeed the case.  But it gets better…

He then tells me that he’s going to substitute Tagiolini instead of Pici because it will save ten minutes.  At this point our table was almost finished with dinner.  When my dish finally arrived it was an overcooked, globby non-octopus mess.  Not happy and still hungry.

  

For those that think I am severe in my review because Coda del Pesce is new, I get that.  However, I have been responsible for many restaurant openings and it has always been my belief that a customers’ money spends the same way on Day 1 or Day 1000.  If you’re not ready to open, don’t.

We gave Coda Del Pesce 3 out of a possible 5 plates. 

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Food Court Wars With Gordon Ramsay Comes To Charleston

Casting For Food Court Wars Happens This Week

Food Court Wars, a brand new show brought to you by the Food Network and Executive Producer Gordon Ramsay is currently casting in the Charleston area. 

In this exciting show hosted by Tyler Florence, two teams will battle head to head to win a restaurant space RENT FREE for an entire year within one of Charleston’s malls; a prize worth up to 100K!

They are searching for local  teams with pre-existing relationships (i.e. friends, family, couples, co-workers) who believe they have the winning formula to successfully run their own  locally inspired and original eatery! The eatery concept must be specific to the local Charleston region!

Below is a copy of the flyer, which summarizes what they are looking for and how to apply for an interview. 

For more information, please visit us at  www.FoodCourtWarsCasting.com.

*Deadline to apply is Monday, April 22nd, 2013.

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Ted's Butcherblock, Charleston, SC

TedFest 2013 Porkalicious

I had asked my husband what he wanted to do for his birthday this year.  I was thinking “Hall’s Chophouse”, “The Grocery” or some other very nice restaurant that we frequent.  Imagine my surprise when his meal of choice was at Ted’s Butcherblock in Ansonborough Square.

Ted’s Butcherblock is a neighborhood butcher shop and gourmet market.  I honestly had never heard of it but was very interested in attending “Ted Fest” this past weekend. This Locals Block Party is held once a year.  During this event they serve a rare, Acorn-fed Berkshire Hog from Eden Farms.  So off we went to our newest adventure.

Ted's New Food Truck

Tucked away in Ansonborough Square Ted’s Butcherblock is without question off the beaten path, but incredibly worth the trip.  When we pulled up there was a band playing (The Bushels) and a few tables outside.  They were also debuting their food truck which was strategically parked in front of the event.  And there, in all its acorn-fed glory lay the Eden Farms hog, head and all.

We went inside and I have to admit I was surprised at the quality and quantity of things that they offer. Part butcher shop and part market they offer a variety of imported cheeses, sandwiches and meats.  They even offer 11 varieties of bacon, and who doesn’t like bacon???

Bacon, Bacon and more bacon

We ordered our meals ($14.99) and had to go out to the food truck to pick them up.  Smart advertising.  We probably would not have paid much attention to the new food truck otherwise.  While my husband went to retrieve our lunch (the event was from 1:00 – 5:00) I went over to discover some of the local craft beers that were being featured. Unfortunately the music was a bit loud and I could not hear the name of the brewery, but I do know that I ordered a terrific IPA. 

Although there was seating outside we went back in to grab some seats.  There was a great energy in the shop.  Some folks were enjoying the sandwiches that they offered and others, like us were enjoying the “fest”.  Still others were purchasing meats, quite the assortment of activities this overcast Saturday afternoon.

Acorn fed Berkshire Pork with all the trimmings

Without question our lunch was off the hook! The pork was tender, juicy and served with an optional pesto, which was delicious.  It was presented as a true porchetta and served with sides of rapini and panzanella salad.

The rapini was sautéed lightly with garlic and oil and was exquisite. Only to be surpassed by the panzanella salad. This was simply so fresh. Three types of tomatoes, black olives, cucumbers and a bit of dressing.  I felt very lucky that we arrived when we did (about 2:30) as the panzanella was substituted for something else later in the day – lucky us!

Ted’s Butcherblock is my new favorite place.  I can’t wait to go back and try some of their sandwiches, salads, paninis, soups and and meat offerings. Did I mention they sell “meat” gift baskets and a bacon subscription?  With 11 varieties of bacon I guess you have to…

All in a great experience that I highly recommend. Mark your calendars for March of 2014.

We gave TedFest 5 out of a possible 5 plates.

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Pane e Vino, Mt. Pleasant, SC

Without the Calamari it would have been a 5.

Loosely translated as “food and wine” or “bread and wine” Pane e Vino (of downtown Charleston fame), has opened its second location on Coleman Boulevard in Mt. Pleasant. 

We stopped in here when it was Sette. Then, as now, I struggled with the fact it previously had been a Pizza Hut and not a whole lot has been done to change that look.  Pane e vino does try to dress the place up a bit with white table clothes and curtains, but in the end… it still looks like a Pizza Hut. 

Once I was past the obvious I began to peruse the menu.  I liked it because it wasn’t over the top, and it had many interesting selections.  There was Antipasti (sic), Insalate, Zuppa, Pasta e Affini  (no idea), and Carni, Pesci e Altri Secondi. We ordered a few beverages and appetizers, which were quickly delivered. 

The Burrata with fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil was terrific.  I know a few folks that call fresh mozzarella “mouse ears”.  If the mozzarella is made correctly it’s supposed to be as soft as mouse ears.  Pane e Vino brought it’s mouse game on!  The cheese was so soft and fresh it just about melted in your mouth.  Such a delight.  The Fried Calamari however, was far from memorable.  It was over cooked, very dry and flavorless.  So as you can see we were one for one. 

Burrata

Fried Calamari

The restaurant was very busy and our server was close to absent.  He finally arrived in time for us to place our dinner order.

I ordered Spaghetti Carbonara.  This has to be one of my favorite Italian dishes.  Calorie laden? Yes. Tasty? Yes, and Yes. The pasta was al dente and although this dish can at times be heavy, this one wasn’t.  Lovely.  My husband ordered the Gnocchi Allo Zola which was handmade potato dumplings in a creamy gorgonzola sauce, folded with fresh arugula.  His order surprised me as he’s not a big gorgonzola fan, but he loves gnocchi.  Mid way through his meal I found my carbonara hijacked and before you knew it I was sampling the Gnocchi Allo Zola.  Delicate dumplings in a rich gorgonzola sauce.  This was also delightful, but soooo rich it was hard to eat too much of it.  I sadly looked at my Carbonara evaporating before my eyes. Oh well, next time…

Spaghetti Carbonara

Gnocchi Allo Zola

Our friends ordered the Cotoletta Alla Milanese and the Pappardelle Con L’Anatra.  The Milanese was a free range chicken breast (nice touch), lightly breaded and sautéed served with asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes.  Regulars at Pane’s downtown location this was a new dish that our friend ordered.  It was celebrated with wild reviews.    The slowly roasted duck leg was served with homemade pappardelle and a light wild mushroom cream sauce.  The picture doesn’t do it justice.  It was this heaping bowl of love and our friend raved about its tenderness and flavor.

Pappardelle Con L’Anatra

Cotoletta Alla Milanese

All in all Pane e Vino won us over.  I look forward to trying their location on Warren Street. 

We gave Pane e Vino 4 out of a possible 5 plates. 

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Rutledge Cab Company, Charleston, SC

Keep the meter running, we'll be right out……. Not so much.

Bob Carter’s newest foray into the Charleston restaurant scene is a swanky new number called Rutledge Cab Company.  Talk about off the beaten path! As you drive up Rutledge Avenue to #1300 you find yourself in a somewhat quiet neighborhood that now hosts one of the newest restaurants in Charleston.

Formerly a Cab Company (no shortage of naming rights here…), the building has been transformed into a fun, open and lively place.  The ceiling is lined with 4 x4’s and the lighting they’ve selected is equally as funky, but it works.  Extending almost the entire circumference of the building is a semi-enclosed patio that I’m certain will come in handy as the weather begins to warm up.

We arrived early (6ish) on a Friday night.  When we pulled into the parking lot we were told that both the regular and auxiliary parking lots were full.  We would have to park on one of the surrounding neighborhood streets.  It made me think that the neighbors must be thrilled with this new addition!

While my husband parked the car I proceeded into the restaurant to find out how long the wait was.  Three attractive young ladies greeted me at the host stand. Dressed all in black and each with a different colored scarf as their “garnish” they were more than happy to help me.  “Twenty five minutes,” one of the hostesses said.  I put our name on the list and went to find some space at the bar as I waited for my husband and our friends to arrive. 

I can tell you that the place was packed! And if you want a restaurant where you can have a conversation with someone, this is not the place.  Rutledge Cab Company is over the top LOUD.  Did I say loud?

Our friends arrived and we had a beverage at the bar as we waited for our table.  I was the only one courageous enough to order one of their specialty cocktails, The Welcome Back Carter.  It was a delightful mix of fresh tangerine juice, fruits and all in, a very nice beverage.

Our 25-minute wait quickly came and went.  Only we didn’t.  A bit past the 60-minute mark we were seated.  I hate that. If you don’t know how to determine the amount of time for a wait, then find someone who does. Our server apologized saying, “Sorry we had three 10-tops.”  Not my problem.

Both Bob Carter and his managing partner, Andy Fallon run this venue. They were at The Peninsula Grill as the Executive Chef and front of the house manager for many, many years.  Might I mention that the Peninsula Grill is one of a very limited number of restaurants where “jackets are suggested”.  Do you think this type of nonsense would have been tolerated there?  I doubt it.  Enough about this rant, but trust me, there’s more to come…

When we were finally seated we had a table that was directly under a bustling HVAC vent.  It was like sitting in a very cold wind tunnel.  We were freezing.  (p.s. Thanks Bob for the terrible cold I now have.)

Uncertain of what we wanted to drink we ordered some still and sparkling water.  Eleven+ minutes later our server delivered the water, turned and bolted from the table.  Was it something I said? We had to flag another server down to ask to for our server.  When she arrived we told her we’d like to start with The Fillin’ Station Charcuterie and bam! She was gone.  We wanted to place our dinner order and by the way, PERHAPS a beverage order – not happenin’.  Good thing there was a server assistant on that evening that kept our water glasses full.

Charcuterie

Twenty five, (yes, 25) minutes later our appetizer was delivered.  Before she set it on the table our friend told her we’d like to order for fear we'd lose here again.

The Charcuterie, although taking what seemed like a lifetime to arrive was actually very, very good.  An interesting combo of fried bologna, hoop cheddar cheese (very mild), smoked sausage (off the hook), potted meat (reminded us of deviled ham), country ham, pickled veggies and saltine crackers.  The dish was fairly simple, but each item had a unique twist to it.  Things were looking up! We were still very cold and could barely hear each other, but the food was very good. 

During our wait Bob Carter arrived at the restaurant.  People cheered for him.  Are you kidding me?  Did he think he was Elvis or something? All I could think of was rather than schmoozing with the hostesses and scampering around the restaurant, I wanted to shout out – “Get in the kitchen and make me a sandwich!”  Could he not see that most of the tables, like ours, were not eating?

We again hunted down our server to order a beverage.  That’s another 12 minutes I’m never going to get back… Nor is the 45 minutes that it took to receive our entrees.  I get that the restaurant is new, as many people were excusing-away-the-lengthy-ticket-times.  But if you’re not ready to open, then don’t.

The menu is fairly simple, apps, salads, sandwiches, grilled pizzas, burgers, kabobs, a few entrees and breakfast served any time.  Our order, a burger, fish tacos, a Reuben and eggs over easy surely should not have taken so long.  Obviously the kitchen was not just in the weeds, it had ignited.

Beef Burger

Eggs from the breakfast all day section

Fish Tacos

The Reuben

So was it worth the almost 3 hours it took for dinner? Yes and no. My husband’s beef burger ordered medium was served ridiculously rare, which was disappointing, and the tempura on top was soggy (and no we didn’t send it back because we couldn’t find our waitress again). The accompanying signature small mason jar of pickled veggies and fries were great.  The fish tacos were a win and so were the eggs. My fries were dead and quickly replaced. The Reuben was just ok. The corn beef brisket and cheddar (my substitute) was good but the sandwich lacked sauerkraut, which was all but missing.  The roll was hard from sitting under the heat lamp too long.  My requested spicy mustard had to be hunted down.  Hardly worth almost an hour wait.

Andy stopped by when we were finished with our meal and asked how our meal was.  We mentioned that it wasn’t that great, and he was obviously perturbed.  “We’ve only been open two weeks and it is Friday night.”   From where I sit, my money spends the same whether it's your first day open or you've been open a year. Poor planning on your part does not necessitate forgiveness on my part.   

We gave Rutledge Cab Company 2 out of a possible 5 plates.

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