Charleston Restaurant Week 2011

As I said earlier this month, Restaurant Week in Charleston  is right around the corner.  Charleston restaurant week runs from January 14 - 22, 2011. This is a great chance to get out and sample some of the finest cuisine from great restaurants throughout Charleston and the surrounding area. I know I plan to get to as many of these great restaurants as time permits.

For the list of  restaurants participating in Charleston Restaurant Week September 7-18, 2011 click here.

Below is a list of the restaurants that will be offering special deals during the 9 day eating fest.  Click on the links to see the menus offered for the select prices during Restaurant Week.

We hope to see you there.  Enjoy!

 --- 3 for $20 ---

Bubba Gump Shrimp Company Charleston Crab House Daniel Island Grille FISH Folly Beach Crab Shack Hyman's Seafood Company J. Paul'z Gilligan's Locklear's LowCountry Grill Noisy Oyster Seafood Restaurant North Towne Grill and Seafood Old Towne Grill and Seafood Palmetto Ale House Poogan's Porch

Queen Anne's Revenge Social Restaurant + Wine Bar Southend Brewery & Smokehouse Starfish Grille Sunfire Grill Tabbuli Grill Toast of Charleston Vespa Pizza Wild Wing Café Downtown Wild Wing Café Market at Oakland Wild Wing Café North Charleston Wild Wing Café on Coleman Zeus Grill and Seafood

 --- 3 for $30 ---

82 Queen Amen Street Fish & Raw Bar Atlanticville Bambu Bocci's Italian Restaurant Blossom Blu Restaurant & Bar Boathouse at Breach Inlet Carolina's Charleston Grill Circa 1886 Cypress Eurasia Cafe & Wine Bar  Fleet Landing Grill 225 Halls Chophouse High Cotton Maverick Bar & Grill Hucks Lowcountry Table Iacofano's Il Cortile del Re La Fourchette Magnolias Uptown Down South McCrady’s Restaurant Muse Restaurant & Wine Bar Oak Steakhouse

Oscar's of Summerville O-Ku Old Village Post House Palm Tree Grille at the Embassy Suites Airport Convention Center Red Drum Red's Icehouse Bohicket Marina Red's Icehouse Shem Creek Rice Market Rita's Seaside Grille Saffire at the Charleston Marriott Samos Taverna Slightly North of Broad Swamp Fox Restaurant & Bar The Atlantic Room At The Ocean Course The Buccaneer Restaurant The Dining Room at Woodlands Inn The Jasmine Porch at the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort The Library at Vendue Inn The Ocean Room at the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort Tristan Wentworth Grill

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Laura Alberts Tasteful Options, Daniel Island, SC

A Quaint Restaurant With Tasteful Choices

As I thought about the word or words to describe Laura Alberts Tasteful Options the only one that really came to me was “quaint”.

Nestled just a stone’s throw from the Tennis Stadium on Daniel Island lies a hidden gem of the Low County.  Laura Alberts (named after family members) Tasteful Options was a pleasant surprise.  It’s a restaurant that also offers a few gifts, a very large wine and craft beer selection and some very interesting menu options.

They are open for lunch Monday – Saturday and also offer brunch on Saturday.  Dinner is served on Wednesday only from 5:00 – 9:00.  The menu is not only creative it’s also very large. I found it interesting that a small place like this (it probably seats 50+) has such an aggressive menu.  It is a fresh, local menu serving certified South Carolina grown products. It ranges from Appetizers (7) to Soups & Salads (7 – with the additional option of 7 toppings), Specialties (9), Warm Sandwiches (9) Cold Sandwiches (8) and side dishes (9).

Wall Of Crafted Beer

Each page of the menu also offers “Beer or Wine” Complements from their extensive hard-to-find craft beer and large wine selection.  This is the first menu in SC that we’ve seen that suggests beer or wine with their menu items. It was tough to make a decision. PLUS… they offer a daily specials page of about 6 items.  Phew, I was exhausted.

We settled on a Chipotle Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with melted provolone cheese, a side of “mojo” dressing, and a choice of a side. We chose blue cheese cole slaw as the side.  We also ordered the “catch of the day” which was penne pasta tossed with shrimp, asparagus, grape tomatoes, parmesan cheese in a lemon butter white wine sauce.  We couldn’t wait for lunch to arrive.

Chipotle Pork Tenderloin

I must admit though that pet peeve #7 (being called "honey") was hard at play here. The server whose name we did not catch continually addressed me as “hon” or “honey”, which I felt was very inappropriate.  We have found the folks in the Lowcountry to be incredibly respectful, polite and kind, but this was not endearing. The server doesn’t know me, I’m not her friend, and I’m definitely not “honey”. Enough said.

Lunch arrived quickly and my pasta was piping hot. The Chipotle Pork Tenderloin Sandwich was tender and when topped with the “mojo” dressing, it gave it a nice spice and a little heat. The blue cheese cole slaw was fabulous, some of the best we’ve tasted.  But alas, I did it again, I ordered the wrong thing. From such a large menu I had a world of possibilities, but apparently, didn’t pick the right dish.

Shrimp Penne Special

Yes, the dish was piping hot. Yes, the shrimp was cooked to perfection and the plate dotted with halved grape tomatoes and bite-sized pieces of crisp asparagus.  But the flavors that I thought it would have – lemon, for one, was completely lost. The dish was swimming in white wine.  Not tossed, but swimming as in the deep end. The flavor of the white wine was so overpowering that the dish was really not great at all.

“Why didn’t you say something to the server?” You ask? Other that when I flagged her down to ask for some additional shredded parmesan cheese, we didn’t see her again, so she couldn’t have asked us how our lunch was.

At $36.00 for lunch and two diet cokes, the place is a tad steep.  Not that I wouldn’t give it another try, since the menu looks like it has some great selections. Just not the one I chose. And don’t call me hon.  

We gave Laura Alberts Tasteful Options 3 out of a possible 5 plates.

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Jack’s Cosmic Dogs, Mt. Pleasant, SC

Dogs Done Well

If you haven’t been to Jack’s Cosmic Dogs, you are in for a real treat. Located a few miles north of the Isle of Palm Connector and just before Hwy 41, lies this hot dog paradise.

It’s a cross between an old diner and a spaceship, very kitschy, very colorful and very busy.  We landed there after doing some holiday errands around 2:00 p.m.  I was surprised to see the parking lot almost full at this time of day. Since we had passed the peak lunch hour I figured it wouldn't be that busy. Boy, was I wrong.

Ordering At Jack's Cosmic Dogs

When we entered there was a small line of people placing their orders with a young lady who stood among the crowd.  We decided to grab a table even though we hadn’t yet ordered since the restaurant was filling up fast. This turned out to be a good idea as it was quickly standing room only. A woman next to me said that it was a good thing we’d grabbed the table since she has often seen lines out the door.

The place is a step back in time, long neck sodas, root beer floats, soft serve ice cream… with a interesting menu. We would soon find out that they do a few things very, very well.  They offer a variety of hot dogs (15 options), alternatives (chicken, meatloaf, sloppy jack and rover pork rolls, aka ham), and veggie items (grilled carrot – “Bunny in a Bun”, veggie burgers and black bean cakes).  During our time there we would only see hot dogs coming and going, and a lot of them.

Dogs n Fries

Trying to keep it simple I ordered a hot dog with spicy mustard and relish.  I was quick to find out that they only offer a Jamaican relish (that they make in house), so I decided to give it a try.  We also ordered the Planet Dog which was topped with Jamaican relish and yellow mustard.  We added a large order of “Awesome Fresh Cut Fries – Cooked in Peanut Oil”, two diet cokes and off we went to wait for our order.

The restaurant remained very busy. It was interesting to see the mix of people – young, old, families, just about everyone had come there to have a great dog. 

Although we waited a little longer than expected for our order, it was worth the wait.  When they call your name you go to pick up your order and pay, very simple. In fact the simplicity of the restaurant is probably what makes it work so well. No lengthy menu, nothing fancy, things are all made from scratch in house and the people that work there are nice to you.

Inside Jack's

Our fries were stacked high.  Lightly salted, they were terrific. Our hot dogs were also very good. They are not the largest hot dogs around, certainly not a ballpark frank, but rather the Giselle Bundchen of dogs – long and lean. The Jamaican relish had a light kick to it, and very tasty.  The only thing we didn't really care for was the fact that the rolls were very large compared to the size of the hot dog, and at time the flavor was lost because of so much bread.

But hey, where can you get a quick, tasty bite to eat with homemade products in a fun atmosphere for $12.00?  We’ll be back, and soon!

We gave Jack's Cosmic Dogs 4 out of a possible 5 plates.

Jack "The Big Dog" Hurley Speaks Out....

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Coast, Charleston, SC

A Skillful Recovery Will Bring Us Back...

On a very balmy first day of winter we decided to give the restaurant, Coast a try.  I have heard great things about it, and was excited to see if it met its hype. 

As it was described to me it is definitely “tucked away” and located in an alley behind 39 Rue du Jean.  We actually drove past it but in doing so were lucky to find a parking space on Meeting Street and walked the few blocks to the restaurant.

The restaurant itself was a nice surprise. It’s much bigger than I’d expected with a very long bar, ample seating in the bar area, and many tables.  What are also very attractive are the 30’ ceilings and the brick-lined walls.  The dining room is dimly lit and has a light tropical feel, as the booth we sat in was under what appeared to be a large, tropical hut.  The décor is otherwise not overdone with a few colorful pieces of glass and a rogue coconut here and there.

Andy, our server, immediately approached us and took our drink order.  We asked him what on the menu were some of his favorites and he quickly was able to review each section of the menu and make recommendations. We placed an order for the Crab and Avocado Ravioli, which was one of his suggestions.  Warm, fresh bread and butter were quickly brought to the table.

Crab & Avocado Ravioli

Literally in a blink of an eye our ravioli appeared.  We actually thought it might be a mistake and asked him if this order could be for another table.  He said no, and we started to dig in.  Three, over-sized ravioli circled a fresh, lightly dressed mound of greens that were topped with a few dabs of goat cheese. Other than a little heavy handed with the olive oil in the preparation, the ravioli were very good.

Since we had received our appetizer so quickly I was curious to see how long it would take to get our entrees. A short nine minutes later our entrees arrived. 

It’s odd for my husband to even eat at a seafood restaurant since he's not a big seafood fan, but after his first bit of his Grilled Spicy Adobo Shrimp the comments were, “I think I’m in love.”  His spicy shrimp sat atop perhaps what were the best tasting grits that we’ve had since we’ve lived here. I thought, “Hmm, we may be on to something.”

Grilled Spicy Adobo Shrimp

But alas, there was only to be one person at the table that was to have such a relationship. My order of the evening’s special – Grilled Escobar, Salmon, bacon wrapped jalapeno shrimp served with parmesan mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables was like a bad blind date. You know right away it’s not going to go well, but you’re at a loss as to what to do next.

My mashed potatoes and vegetables were cold. Not chilly, cold.  That’s ok, as it can be an easy fix. When Andy came to check on us I explained that they were cold and asked for two new sides, I kept my fish as I did not want it to get cold as he went for the sides. He seemed frustrated. I did not know if his frustration was with his kitchen team, with me, or a little bit of both.  Whatever the source, I completely understood his feelings.

Daily Special

The sides were out in a flash and they were great.  But then… I tried my bacon wrapped jalapeno shrimp.  There didn’t seem to be any jalapenos, which I expected so I asked Andy as he walked by.  He said that the jalapenos were infused within the bacon – not so much. The bacon just tasted like bacon.  As I unwrapped them (I’m not that big of a bacon fan), I noticed that the bacon closest to the shrimp wasn’t cooked and the shrimp was also undercooked.  I genuinely was too embarrassed to ask for anything else, but did mention it to Andy when he picked up our plates. Showing some additional frustration he said, “We’ll just take this off your check because it didn’t meet your expectation.”  We told him thank you, but he didn’t have to do that.

A short time later a very tall gentleman approached the table. We assumed it was the manager, but it was odd he didn’t introduce himself. He apologized and then started rattling off things that he could quickly bring me, “Soup, salad, anything that you’d like.” I thankfully declined.

He told us that he’d taken the dinner off of the check because things weren’t done correctly.  He said he felt bad and that “If you leave hungry, then we haven’t done our job.” This comment really made me think.

It reminded me of an experience I had many years ago opening a restaurant in Sarasota, FL. One of the things that I’ve done during my time in the industry is to design the way restaurant’s open. I’ve opened over 100 restaurants around the country. I would design practice shifts that would simulate different volumes, and increase the volume each time the restaurant practiced.  Each position in the restaurant would work through escalating degrees of difficultly. There were specific reservation sheets for “friends and family” who wanted to participate.

Inside Coast

Giving my direction to the General Manager from afar prior to my arriving on site I realized too late that my direction was poor.  Instead of “one” person per line, there were parties of four, five, six per line.  And I discovered the error much too late, we were about to start the shift.  The practice shift could have been deemed a disaster if it weren’t for the lesson we all learned that evening.

George Barton, was an iconic figure with the company and the regional manager. He could have really come down hard on us all, especially me, but he didn’t. He sat us all down at the end of the shift and talked about what happened.  He said that he was a little concerned that we did not put our best foot forward to the community.  Many of us were humbled as we shook our heads in agreement.

“But”, he said, “It’s how champions skillfully recover that will set us apart from the rest. And we’re going to be champions.”

The opening was a huge success. Come to find out that the added practice (even though rocky), helped to hone many of the skills of our new employees.  We were all feeling like champions.

To me, Coast skillfully recovered last night. I am certain that the manager would have done anything necessary to make sure I was well fed and happy. What else can you ask for?  We'll give Coast another try soon.

We gave Coast 3 out of a possible 5 plates

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Zia Taqueria, James Island, SC

It was the kind of meal you know you should stop eating, but it's so good you just can't...

A friend of ours who has never steered us wrong on restaurants (Dean Rommes, Charleston Security Systems), mentioned that Zia Taqueria is the place to go for great Mexican Food, so off we went. 

It was past lunch hour (after 2:00 p.m.), on a rainy Saturday afternoon.  I have always believed that a good way to test the mettle of a restaurant is to go there when it’s slow.  During the busy lunch/dinner periods, things usually go well, since the restaurant is usually in a rhythm. But when it’s slow – fewer employees, people are beginning to think about the end of the shift and starting to clean up, then things can slip.

When we entered the restaurant we were a little confused about what to do.  Do we wait for a hostess? Do we seat ourselves?  And then we looked up and saw a small wall menu adjacent to the bar and a sign that told us to order there. There were seats at the bar open and we decided to sit there.  It was still confusing.  Was someone going to wait on us?  We glanced around the restaurant, still uncertain.

Small, not overly themed, with about 30 – 40 seats, plus the bar and an outside patio, light music played in the background.A very quiet atmosphere, but then again, we were hitting it at a rather slow time.

The bartender came to take our order. It surprised me that there were no sparkling bottled water options, so I made due with soda water.  I would normally have tried a margarita but we were heading to a Christmas party later that night.  We started with a Chile con Queso. Before we could just about blink it was in front of us along with fresh salsa and chips. That was fast!

The Queso was made with pepper jack cheese, red bell pepper, garlic and white wine (I’m stealing this from the menu, as I would never have remembered everything.) We could not wait to dig in.  It was by far one of the best Queso dishes I have ever had (I lived in Dallas for many years and there are many great Mexican restaurants there…). Warm, smooth, colorful and it had a light kick to it. Nice.

The only downside of our appetizer was our service at the bar. We never received any silverware, plates, napkins, etc. from our bartender. At this point I was still a little confused as to whether it was self serve or full service at the bar. The lack of service put me off a bit.

Chili Con Queso

We rustled up plates, etc. from a nearby condiment station.  The service style continued to be confusing.  I finally realized that if you place your order at the register you received a number and your lunch would be brought out to you.  If you were seated at one of the high tops in the bar area or at the bar, the bartender would wait on you.  No prob, we were too busy enjoying our appetizer.

Although the bartender seemed to know some regulars, she became animated only when she spoke to her colleague that this was the last day-shift (thankfully), that she had until a week from Tuesday.  We did ask her how long the restaurant had been opened, (2 yrs.), if she was one of the original hires (yes, there is very little front of the house turnover), and how business was (good, we’re pretty busy, especially during the holidays), but otherwise, she didn’t speak to us. Isn’t she supposed to be paid for her wit and charm?? Guess I'm used to a bit more interaction from bartenders.

Carne Asada Torta

Our lunch included a 10+++, super star, unbelievable, can’t-say-enough-about-it sandwich and another item.  Here’s the scoop. But first, we had to ask for silverware to begin eating. Urgh.

We ordered the Carne Asada (thinly sliced beef) Tortas Mexicanas.  The menu description hardly does this sandwich any justice.  It was served on fresh baked telera bread that had been toasted. It is topped with black beans, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, avocado and cilantro jalapeno spread (again, a direct steal).  PLUS… it is served with a small, grilled corn on the cob topped with melted butter and sprinkled with fresh, grated cheese.

The sandwich is massive, easily the size of a small dinner plate. By the time I went to ask to try the corn, it was gone.  All I kept hearing was, “Wow, this is something.” Now, on to what I ordered for lunch.

Carnitas Quesadilla

The carnitas quesadilla’s presentation was just lovely, (ut oh, that's like telling someone they are about to go on a first date with they have a nice personality…), overstuffed and served on a fajita-like cast iron skillet. It was accompanied by “cream” (similar to sour cream only thinner), homemade guacamole and a very spicy jalapeno relish.  It looked sensational.  But alas, the pork inside the quesadilla was dry and not very warm. The cheese had melted nicely, but having the carnitas just luke warm took away from the meal, especially since it tasted great.

It was however, the type of meal that you know you should stop eating, but just can’t.  I only ate ½ of my quesadilla, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.  The sandwich was MIA before you knew it.

Every time I have a meal somewhere and plan to write about it, I drop a card that says, “Read our thoughts @diningaroundcharleston.com.” As there have been some hidden gems that we’ve really enjoyed. If the experience was great, I want them to know and hopefully enjoy and share my thoughts with the team, if it wasn’t that great, I hope that they take it to heart and know that I am just being honest in what my experience was like. Hopefully, they can also fix a few things.

Sometimes I get a note from the owner, GM, etc. She/he will explain what happen if we’d hit a speed bump, or thank me for my thoughts and invite me back.  I’ve even received an email where the owner was YELLING at me for what I wrote and questioned "Who do you think you are??"  (I responded that I was Jane Q. Customer, and I helped to pay his mortgage, staff, keep his lights on and his suppliers happy.) But here’s the interesting part.

Within minutes of leaving, Kevin W. Grant, the owner/chef dropped me an email.  He thanked me for dropping the card and visiting the restaurant, hoping that everything was superb.  I applaud his pride of ownership and concern about his brand.  I would go out of my way to recommend the place (and already have).  I can't wait to go back. 

We gave Zia Taqueria 4 out of a possible 5 plates

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Magnolias Uptown/Down South, Charleston, SC

Going Back To An Old Favorite

Someone posed the question, “What restaurant is better for brunch - Fat Hen (John’s Island) or Magnolias?”  We’ve already eaten at Fat Hen (October 31, 2010; 5 Plate Rating) - it was perfect, and I would highly recommend it. So to answer the question, I needed to give Magnolias a try.

Magnolias is located on East Bay and owned by HMGI Hospitality Management Group, Inc.  They own two other restaurants, Blossom and Cypress also conveniently located on East Bay. 

We had frequented the restaurant quite a bit when we were vacationing here. But I must say that I probably haven’t been there in almost two years.  I have only heard one comment about Magnolias since we’ve moved here.  I’ve heard it said that Magnolias is catering more to tourists, than locals, and the menu needs a shake up as it rarely changes.  I wasn’t sure if this was true, but we still wanted to give it a try.

On a rainy Sunday afternoon we were happy to see a parking lot almost adjacent to the restaurant.  Lucky us!!  We were quick to be told that a validated parking receipt from Magnolias would get us free parking.  In Boston, parking garages could charge up to $29.00, I kid you not, so this was a big surprise as we were willing to pay for parking to avoid the rain.

Inside Magnolia's

When we arrived, the restaurant was surprisingly empty, not even half full – the rain perhaps?  Or has the menu become stale?

The host quickly grabbed menus and began to lead us to our table.  My Pet Peeve #1 was about to be realized. Sure enough, the host decided that the “party of two” can be stuffed in a corner. (You should know by now that nobody puts this baby in the corner…) He was about to take us to what had to be the absolute-worst-table-in-the-restaurant.  It was way in the back of the half empty restaurant and we were to be squished in a two top, part banquette, with one chair.  No way.  Much to the chagrin of my husband I politely requested a different table.  If the restaurant is not full, sure, I get rotating tables to different servers, but the worst table, seriously? He quickly obliged and moved us to a lovely 4-top in the front of the restaurant which was much better. 

Our server (I believe her name was Carrie, but it could be Karen), arrived rather quickly and took our beverage order.  As I scanned the menu I noticed that the “Brunch Menu” did have 12 brunch items, a few salads, sandwiches, and entrees.  But the rumor may be true. There were many items on the menu that seemed as if they were the same as the ones we saw on our last visit. But I guess if it works, why change it. It was also nice to see a selection of 5 specials for the day which looked very interesting.

Pimento Cheese & Flatbread

We ordered the pimento cheese appetizer, something we’ve had before. I was starving, so the 15 minutes we waited seemed like a long time, but it probably really wasn’t.  While we waited I glanced around the restaurant. Our server seemed to know what appeared to be “regulars”, and commented on a hairstyle, “Did you just have that done?”, or chatted animatedly with a couple from Cape Cod. “I lived in New York and took the train to Boston a lot, I love it there.” Whether she does or not is uncertain, but her style seemed genuine and very friendly.

When our pimento cheese arrived it was just as we remembered it. A nice cheese mixture served with homemade tortilla triangles.  And… just as we remembered it was terrific.  It was also served with a small round in-house made loaf of sourdough bread and a lightly herbed soft butter. THAT could have been the highlight of the brunch.

Blackened Catfish

As you have read from my past blogs, I have a thing about hot food. I am willing to wait for it, but I’d like my meal to be hot. Although some would argue that I like it “hotter than the sun”, I beg to differ. But, if I go to a restaurant, especially a restaurant that is not particularly busy, I expect it to be hot.

We went 1 for 2 on hot meals. My Blackened Catfish over Carolina dirty rice with 2 fried green tomatoes, habanero chutney and tomato butter was woefully, just warm.  Having had this dish before, (see a pattern?), I was very disappointed. The catfish and green tomatoes were warm, but everything else, was cold.

Roasted Chicken & Sage Hash

The winning dish was the Roasted Chicken and Sage hash, poached eggs, sautéed spinach and hollandaise. Even though when I tasted a potato it didn’t seem very warm, it was recommended that I dig around and I’d find some that were warm. What is this an Easter Egg Hunt?

Although the service was very good and the ambiance had a nice, easy, Low Country feel, the food was disappointing.  My vote in the question of Fat Hen versus Magnolias Uptown/Down South for brunch is Fat Hen by a mile. 

We gave Magnolia's 4 out of a possible 5 plates.

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Melvin’s BAR-B-Q, Mt. Pleasant, SC

Put More Pork On Your Fork

Order At Melvins

I know it may sound sacrilegious living in the south, but I am not a BBQ fan.  I like it on occasion, but I would not go out of my way for it. My husband, on the other hand, really enjoys it, so off to Melvin’s BBQ we went. Plus… we had just heard that Emeril had voted Melvin’s cheeseburger the best in America, so that alone piqued my interest.

The restaurant is very simple, seats about 35-40 and has a drive thru window.  The service style is one where you get in the ‘cue’ to get some ‘Que’, very similar to fast food, with slow cookin’. 

Inside Melvin's

The gentleman that took our order seemed bored and uninterested. But that was ok, based on the aroma in the building we thought we had come to the right place!!

There is a very large condiment bar with the usual plastic cutlery, napkins, salt, pepper, etc. There are also several peppers – jalapenos, etc., left out for your selection.  I didn’t know how long they had been there, but they seemed to have seen better days and we avoided them.

After you place your order you are given a number and when called, you pick up your dinner; very simple.

Our dinner came to just under $30.00.  We ordered the BBQ ribs and pulled pork, “wet”, with two “trimmings”, and a cheeseburger.  As an add-on we chose the fried Okra for $1.87.

As we waited for our meal the restaurant began to fill up.  I was surprised by the varied group of people - older, younger, families with children, a lot of take-out orders and a lady in a mink.  The tables stocked with things to help you enjoy your meal - a roll of paper towels and many varieties of hot sauce.  Before we knew it our number was called and our food was ready.

Ribs n Que

The amount of food that we received was immense (see photo). I was very disappointed though that our food was served on Styrofoam plates and bowls.  It downgraded the experience considerably. Even more disappointing was that the entrees themselves were tepid at best.  Our sides of fries, collards, baked beans and okra were hot, but the main event was not.  Quite tasty was the large onion ring garnish which we were later to find out was hand battered just like they did when they started in 1939, something you don’t see too often.

No. 1 Cheeseburger

The “best cheeseburger in America” was just lukewarm, but still delicious.  As I requested, the burger was garnished with mustard, relish and ketchup.  The 4+ inch burger was served on an oversized roll and get this… the mustard and relish was on the bottom of the bun and the ketchup on the top.  I’m not sure why they did it that way, but it was very good.

The “Que” could have easily been a 10 had it not been close to cold, as was the restaurant’s temperature – please… turn up the heat on many fronts. In hindsight I should have sent my burger back to be served correctly.

As we were leaving we noticed that the drive thru window had a line of cars around the building. “Que” on wheels must be big here. After eating there, who wouldn’t want to put more “pork on your fork”? 

We gave Melvin's 3 out of a possible 5 plates.

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