While visiting my family in Columbia, South Carolina, we decided to take a one night field trip to Charleston. Knowing that I was going there, my brother recommended the restaurant Husk, which won 2011 Best New Restaurant in America from Bon Appetit magazine and 2011 Best New Restaurant in the South from Southern Living magazine. The restaurant is the creation of award winning Chef Sean Brock and owned and operated by the Neighborhood Dining Group (NDG).
Husk Restaurant, Charleston, SC
What makes this restaurant unique is how it brands itself on using fresh, local ingredients to create extraordinary southern inspired recipes. With a menu that is updated daily depending upon the local ingredients available, this centrally located Charleston restaurant provides an ever changing, casual culinary experience.
Servers Picking up the Culinary Delights from the Kitchen
We made reservations for lunch and what a lunch it was! I love to eat, especially fresh, flavorful, balanced creations that are part experience and part sustenance. The menu for the day had numerous delightful gems as shown below. Asking our server for recommendations, she advised us on the burger, shrimp and grits and the heritage pork. In addition to the food, Husk had an extensive wine, beer and soda list as well. Unfortunately they were out of the North Carolina Cheerwine, so I had to settle on Abita Root Beer instead. Bring on the glutenous feast of southern culinary delight!
The Lunch Menu from July 21st, 2014.
The following sides were not included in the scan above:
– Carolina Gold Rice with Sea Island Red Peas, Smoky Tomatoes
– Grilled Courgettes with Tropea Onions and Sweet Cord
Abita Root Beer
Grilled House Made Cheddar Summer Sausage with House Made Pickles and Mustard
The sausage had an amazing smoked flavor from the grill. The cheddar was subtle, but added just the little bit extra to the smoked sausage. The pickles, mustard and toasted bread really rounded out the appetizer by diversifying the taste and texture.
Shrimp and Geechie Boy Grits, Smoky Tomatoes and Charred Onion, Sweet Peas and Surry Sausage
Absolutely amazing. Wow did those ingredients just fit together perfectly, creating amazing convolution of texture and taste again. The gravy wasn’t too heavy, with minor flavor so you can still taste all of the other ingredients in this bowl of foodie heaven.
The Husk Cheeseburger with Fried Potato Wedges – Photo Courtesy of www.huskrestaurant.com
Not sure what sauce is on this, but it was really an amazing burger.
Fried Chicken Po’Boy with Kentucky Black Pepper Bacon, Home Made Pickles and Red Onion, Spicy Mayo (which was pretty spicy)
The chicken was good, but nothing special. However, the bacon, what a great enhancement to this typically boring sandwich. The mayo was rather spicy, but really good compliment to the meats.
Virginia Heritage Pork with Fried Cabbage, Smoky Butterbeans and Sea Island Red Peas, Pot Likker.
The pork was slow cooked for 12+ hours, pulled apart and then wrapped around the stomach and cooked again. A slow cooked fatty goodness! Really tasty and again, another great example of the quiet dance of textures and taste among the ingredients.
A side of a Skillet of Cornbread with Allan Benton’s Tennessee Bacon
Located off of Queen Street in downtown Charleston, Husk resides in an old Victorian house. Supporting both floors for seating, the restaurant can support a decent amount of diners. If you didn’t make a reservation and you do have to wait, the rocking benches on the porch are really clever and make waiting for a table a bit more enjoyable.
Outside Husk on Queen Street
The paper menu printed each day each meal
Some of the decorations located on the lower floor dining room
The dining room on the lower floor of Husk
Neal’s Ratings:
- Atmosphere = A (Well decorated, decent size, clean, bright, and a parking garage across the street. The bathroom on the lower floor is a single unisex bathroom, so could be an issue if more than one person needs to use it)
- Service = A-
- Food = A+ (really amazing shrimp and grits, the pork was fatty heaven, the burger had some magical sauce on it that was to die for, but the corn bread was a little dry though)