Yes, I am alive. I really haven't been in the mood to write much on this space. Privacy and time are probably the two largest factors in my silence.
I just returned from a conference in Charleston, South Carolina. Annually, I attend this conference for its excellent content. It doesn't hurt that I love the atmosphere in Charleston, especially its food. Here is where I went this year:
Been before:
Hymans Seafood - it is a tourist trap but a very good one. This was the second year in a row that I had dinner here. I had their Charleston shrimp and grits with a side of mac and cheese. I skipped the usual bowl of boiled peanuts because they taste mildly gross. The cool thing is that the owner makes a huge effort to welcome each of his guests to the restaurant. Downfall? The wine list sucks.
Jestine's Kitchen -- this is a mandatory stop for me. There is nothing in the world that equals their fried chicken, mac and cheese and sweet tea.
Magnolias -- the website needs to get rid of its cheesy music. I had been here once before but didn't really remember the experience. This was one of my best meals. My diet was completely broken with their housemade potato chips with blue cheese. The Parmesan crusted flounder was the best meal of the trip. Its description - served over Carolina rice and creek shrimp purloo with sweet corn, tomato, and asparagus salad, lump crab, and a lemon beurre blanc. Plus, they served Oregon wine.
Slightly North of Broad - Like Jestine's Kitchen, I also visit this restaurant on an annual basis. It is usually my Saturday night place. Scallops galore. I have to admit that I kept making Sarah Palin jokes in my head since it is run by the Maverick restaurant group.
New this year:
Fig - this is the restaurant where I tasted something from the pig's head (I think they scraped things out and made it into a pate) and it resembled pulled pork. I took the smallest bite possible and didn't throw up. I took a break from fish and had a steak.
My cheaper places to hit:
Moe's - I always hit this spot for lunch since it is right across from the conference hotel. Homewrecker - how I love you. Oh no, I just realized there is a location south of Portland.
5 Guys Burgers - some of my dining companions got into an argument about which place is better - 5 Guys or In-n-Out. As a cheeseburger fiend, I would lean towards 5 Guys. It isn't as good as Culvers. It is better than Burgerville's burgers but doesn't meet their fries or shake standards. Confession -- I had the worst heartburn from this meal. Another place I discovered is in the Portland area.
So, another year of conferencing over with and probably a few pounds gained.
Place I forgot:
Fast and French - this is a great place to go in Charleston for lunch. Get a lunch special and a glass of wine comes with it. Instead of eating at one of the communal tables in the center of the action, we were placed in one of their back rooms. It changed the dining experience, except I was able to hear our neighbors talk about a relative who murdered someone and all of the sordid issues surrounding the crime.
Other places I've been to several times and really like:
3 comments:
I love Five Guys! It's dangerous that there is one less than a mile from my apartment and a few miles from the library.
There's a 5 Guys in Beaverton, about a mile and a half from my place. I haven't been there yet, but I've been meaning to for ages. There's also a couple of Moe's locations in the area - one in Tualatin, I think, and maybe one around the Beaverton/Hillsboro border.
Try the homewrecker burrito at Moe's.
I am craving 5 Guys right now.
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