Savoring Charleston

Charleston is such a foodie city, and we definitely made the most of it. The standout of the trip was a spontaneous stop at The Darling. It was pouring rain, and we almost stayed in, but hunger won out and I’m so glad it did. We didn’t have a reservation, but lucked out with seats at the Oyster Bar. Our waiter was fantastic, walking us through different oysters (all excellent), but then he gave us the best advice of the trip: skip the shrimp and grits, and order the shrimp creole with hushpuppies instead.

I don’t usually eat hushpuppies, but he suggested combining a little creole with a bite of hushpuppy and oh my goodness. Absolute perfection. I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ll dream about that dish. We did end up sharing the shrimp and grits too (because when in Charleston, right?), and while they were very good, the creole stole the show. Honestly, it deserves way more attention than it gets on their menu and Instagram. If you go, order the shrimp creole… trust me.

We also had some other memorable bites:

• Blind Tiger Pub — lobster roll piled higher than I’ve ever seen, with extra arugula on the side (a great way to lighten it up without losing the indulgence).

• Fig — a tomato tartine with their house-made cottage cheese, peaches, and pesto. Creative, seasonal, and so good.

• Grit House in North Charleston — worth a stop for their grit flights if you’re a grit lover.

But hands down, The Darling is where I’d send anyone visiting Charleston. Shrimp creole, hushpuppies, and a little bit of Southern magic.