I'm often asked to name my picks for the best restaurants in Charleston and, sometimes, even in the state. It's almost always a gut-churning challenge, because there are so many more worthy contenders than there used to be.
But come up with a list of my favorite restaurants in the country? No way.
Yet that's just the monumental task Eater's restaurant editor Bill Addison tackled last year, after logging nearly 100,000 miles from coast to coast in a quest to find the nation's "most essential" restaurants. His culinary trek took him to 48 cities - from obvious food towns (San Francisco, Austin) to off-the-beaten-path locales (Montana) - to come up with an honor roll of just 38 restaurants.
Making the cut were such high-brow spots as Alinea in Chicago, Cafe at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, FIG in the other Charleston, Husk in Nashville and Momofuku Noodle Bar in New York, and casual joints like Franklin BBQ in Austin, Guerrilla Tacos in Los Angeles and Poole's Diner in Raleigh.
I've only been to one place on this list: the one-of-a-kind Bern's Steak House in Tampa, an elegant old-world steakhouse complete with fabulously ornate décor, deep maroon walls, chunky dark mahogany tables and chairs, flickering candles and servers dressed to the nines.
It's also home to one of the world's largest wine cellars and an internationally known "dessert room" - which you're escorted to after dinner via a pass through the kitchen. The place opened back in 1956 and it feels like time has stood still since then.
The wonderful ambiance, food, service and overall experience make it worthy of Eater's "National 38" list. If the other 37 places on this list are just as memorable, I may have some travel planning to do.
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Another place that made Eater's list is Prince's, a Nashville joint known as the holy grail for the culinary phenomenon known as "Nashville Hot Chicken." For the uninitiated, this tongue-searing scorcher consists of fried chicken that's coated in a fiery cayenne paste and served atop plain white bread with pickles.
I don't get it.
Nashville is a super-cool place that is quickly becoming known as one of the nation's best food cities and I've been to more four-star restaurants there than I can count. But despite its undeniable popularity, Prince's has never been a draw for me.
I like thoughtfully spiced food if the heat adds nice flavor, but I'm not into peppery pain. Making something hot just for hot's sake isn't my thing. But Nashville Hot Chicken is definitely a thing for many. (KFC has even rolled out its own interpretation, which I'm sure is a far cry from the real deal.)
Prince's inclusion on the recent list was quite a coincidence, since I've recently been chatting with a St. Albans reader about his own hot chicken recipe.
For the past four years, Steve Webster has written a food column in St. Albans Monthly called "Cooking with Steve," and in a recent edition he shared a recipe for what he claims is "the real McCoy" when it comes to this authentic Nashville creation.
"I lived in Nashville for almost 20 years and this recipe is as close to the original as one can get," he told me. "I was in the restaurant business for years and the recipe came from an ex-employee of Prince's, which is considered to be the creator of Nashville Hot Chicken."
Steve was more than willing to share his recipe this week, including the big secret of adding dill pickle juice to the hot sauce marinade. And he also has this tip for anyone who makes the trip to Nashville to try the original recipe at its birthplace.
"There are about 30 spin-offs now, but skip all of them and go to Prince's," he said. "But here's a warning: Do not get the hot. Repeat: Stop at mild or medium."
I've heard the same advice from others who have tried it, too. They all say the hot version is downright nuclear.
"I really enjoy reading your column and have for years," he added. "I hope you enjoy the recipe."
Thanks Steve!
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Some love from The Food Guy mailbox:
"Upon reading your review of The Olive Tree Café and Catering, I went the next day and am now HOOKED!" wrote Jack Dent, Jr. "It was the BEST Reuben I have had and on my next visit I'm hoping to try the cheese sandwich or Philly. Thanks to you I have found a new FAVORITE food spot!"
My pleasure, Jack. I hope even more people make their way to this great new café.
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Hot diggity dog, you guys just can't get enough of all this recent hot dog chatter.
"Why the hot dog is talked about so much does not surprise me, so let us not forget Howell's Drive-In," said reader Jeff Pack. "When you mentioned Canary Cottage, I had to call my mom and just stop and talk about when I was younger (40 years ago) how fun it was when she would load all of us kids up and go to the hot dog place, which is what us kids called it.
"And let's not forget the lady who never wrote down an order but always, and I mean ALWAYS, got it right. She was so tiny and all I ever heard her called was Lil Bit. To this day, I still don't know what her real name was, but I do know those hot dogs were second best to A&W."
He said Howell's was in Chesapeake and the original small building is still standing.
"I am sure no one has the heart to tear those memories down. I just wanted to stop and thank you for bringing back memories that I normally would overlook."
I'm glad we've done that for so many, Jeff! Keep reading.
"One of the finer hot dogs in Charleston was at the New Club Dinner on Lee Street," wrote Paul Selan Jr., a former Hurricane resident who now lives in Oak Island, North Carolina. "I believe there's a bank drive-through there now, directly across from the Old Diamond. A Greek couple had the business and his chili was on the sweet side, but very delicious."
Paul said he traced the couple's son in Florida about 15 years ago and found out that chili recipe had been passed down to a woman who still lived here - but several calls to her were never returned.
"That information is all since gone, but there are a bunch of us out here hoping not to lose some of these old recipes. I am sure that chili recipe would be greatly appreciated by many."
Stephen Galperin is a Charleston expat who has lived out of state for more than 30 years, but when his mother sent him a link to all of our hot dog coverage it brought back a ton of good memories.
"I can remember eating at that A&W with my grandparents many times. I wasn't big on the hot dog chili as a small child, but I will never forget the 'sweet ice' in the root beer. I can still remember the first time they let me have an adult-sized mug and how big it seemed in my hands."
His favorite dogs, however, came from a different place whose name will make many a heart pang.
"My favorite hot dogs were at Chris' on Washington Street," he continued. "When I was a 'tween, I used to go in back when the 'old man' was still alive and they served beer. I didn't get any Bud, but he served me plenty of hot dogs and had a good pinball machine. Later, my brother and I used to go in and order a dozen dogs and a couple of longnecks."
He remembers really liking their hot dog chili, which he says didn't seem to have any vegetables in it at all.
"The last time I was in there was about 10 years ago. Is it still open - and can you get a lead on that recipe? Gawd, those ladies made great pie!"
Aaaah, how many of us used to love, love, LOVE Chris' Hot Dogs?
Sadly, Stephen, the place closed several years ago and the building has been vacant since. But maybe someone still has a lead on their recipe. (Anyone?) On a happier note, a local couple recently purchased the spot with plans to turn it into a modern bistro - so at least the location will live again.
Finally, another reader, Carla Walker, called in to tell me she had discovered a new hot dog place she thought others might like to know about.
"I just had hot dogs at Chumm's in Marmet," she reported. "They have that yellow slaw you wrote about and they were delicious! The Dairy Queen has good dogs, too, but the dogs at Chumm's can't be beat!"
Steven Keith writes a weekly food column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and an occasional food blog at http://blogs.wvgazettemail.com/foodguy/. He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or by email at wvfoodguy@aol.com. You can also follow him on Facebook as "WV Food Guy" and on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest as "WVFoodGuy".
Chicken:
1 whole chicken (8 pieces)
1 quart buttermilk or dill pickle juice
8 oz. hot sauce
3 cups self-rising flour
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. red cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
3-4 cups vegetable oil
Paste:
6 Tbsp. lard
2 Tbsp. red cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
Marinate 1 whole chicken in buttermilk and your favorite brand of hot sauce, thoroughly mixed with a whisk. (If the breasts are huge, cut them in half to make 10 pieces.) Put everything in a large Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 24 hours in refrigerator. You can also use dill pickle juice in place of the buttermilk mixed with the hot sauce for really tender and tasty chicken.
Drain the chicken and discard unused marinade. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine 3 cups self-rising flour with all remaining seasonings. Add flour mixture to large bag, add chicken pieces and shake until all are completely covered. Leave the floured chicken in the bag on the counter and prepare oil.
Using a cast iron chicken cooker is the way to go with this recipe, but a large skillet will also work. Put enough vegetable oil in the skillet to cover the chicken (about 3-4 cups) and bring to a temperature of 350-360 degrees, using a candy thermometer. (The chicken does not cook as well in a deep fryer.) Cook the chicken pieces in batches, 3 or 4 at a time, until done or about 25-30 minutes.
In a bowl, combine lard (microwaved for 30 seconds) with remaining paste ingredients. Thoroughly mix together and (using gloves) spread the paste all over the chicken.
Serve the sauced chicken over several pieces of white bread with dill pickle slices attached with toothpicks on top of the chicken.
Recipe courtesy of Steve Webster.