Love In The Low Country
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways... $100, $90, $60, $55, $48, $40... You name it, and Charleston, S.C.'s restaurant scene is ready to deliver!
Starting on the low end, Southend Brewery in downtown Charleston is offering three courses with a "signature flair" for $30. Although a brewery might not scream "romance," Southend's smoky Valentine's Day menu is filled with oysters, steak, and chocolate crème brûlée — how could that go wrong?
Chef Robinson at the Wentworth Grill will be featuring three courses for $40.00 with optional wine pairings; not bad for a nice evening out. This special menu features unique items (including cucumber and smoked honey Banyuls dressing for the third course) and is offered on Feb. 14 and Feb. 15.
The Old Village Post House in Old Mount Pleasant is entering the fray with two options — two courses for $50 and three courses for $56. The menu features options such as shrimp and lobster bisque, bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin, and caramel apple cobbler.
Slightly North of Broad (SNOB), which is The Old Village Post House's sister concept, has a two-course prix fixe menu for $48 and a three-course option for $55.
Husk, chef Sean Brock's strictly Southern restaurant (voted 2011's number one New Restaurant in America by Bon Appétit), jumps on the bandwagon with a three-course $55 prix fixe. Compared to their à la carte menu, this low price is truly a steal, and if you can get reservations, this could be quite a good deal.
Swamp Fox Restaurant at the Francis Marion Hotel is offering a special four-course dinner for $55. Their entrées include surf and turf, braised lamb shank or pan-seared wahoo, plus a complimentary glass of champagne.
High Cotton, another Maverick Restaurant Group location is offering three courses for $60 and enticing patrons with intriguing-sounding "love potion cocktails."
Crave will feature a "Wild Valentine Weekend," a dinner for two which includes chateaubriand, a bottle of house champagne or wine, side salads, and chocolate-covered strawberries. At $70, this could be the bargain of the bunch.
McCrady's is offering a few options. For $55 they are serving a three-course Valentine's Day menu. They also offer their six course Chef's Tasting Menu, coming in at $90 per person, or $15 a course — that's a lot of love.
And at the higher end of our list is Circa 1886, who is offering an eight-course prix fixe meal for $110 per person excluding beverages, tax, and gratuity. That's may be a bit steep for many, but quite impressive if you're the date!
For those of you that choose to go out on Valentine's Day, Charleston is waiting with open arms and open cash registers.