Some new restaurants open with great fanfare, yet it's immediately clear they don't have what it takes to survive. Whether poor service, off-putting ambiance or subpar food is the culprit, no amount of opening buzz can overcome it.
Other places take a more conservative approach, often inviting only friends and family at first to give them a chance to work out the bugs before welcoming the public at an official grand opening after that.
Charleston's newest cocktail lounge and restaurant was even more subtle than that, holding a "soft opening" back in the fall that just gradually transitioned into a full opening that wasn't really ever publicized.
Doesn't matter - that slow-and-steady approach is paying off for Celsius.
The place is getting better as it grows and word of mouth is bringing crowds in more consistently than a one-shot grand opening ever could. After months building fans behind the scenes, the ultra-cool Celsius has become a new hot spot in town.
The food ranges from very good to adequate (more on that in a minute) but make no mistake: Celsius is more cocktail lounge than restaurant. It's an awesome spot to meet friends for drinks, and maybe grab a bite to eat in the process.
Stretching from Hale to Dickinson streets in downtown Charleston - occupying the same space that once housed Vandalia Grill - Celsius offers a similar upscale urban vibe, but the cool factor has been ramped up even more with its brick and wood accents and exposed ductwork complimented by additional modern lighting, funky decor, comfy couches and flowing drapes.
It's a gorgeous place, made even more attractive by an oh-so-hip drink menu of craft beers, fine wines and artisan cocktails, including an array of Moscow mules. And there's a much larger bar area in which to enjoy them, something Vandalia was sorely lacking.
Drinks are why you're here, with a signature cocktail menu teasing concoctions of top-notch spirits mixed with handcrafted syrups, fruit purees, muddled herbs, fresh juices, spices and more.
That quality comes at a price, though. You can expect to pay around $10 a drink, so your tab can quickly run up.
A respectable wine list features more than 20 bottles from around the world, including options far beyond your basic Chardonnay, Cabernet, Pinot and Merlot. (The Royal Chenin Blanc and Cline Viognier are phenomenal, but they aren't the only options I'm obsessed with.)
Capitalizing on the popularity of the current "it" drink, there's even a menu of "modern mules" offering traditional and offbeat versions of the Moscow mule mix of vodka, ginger beer and lime juice served over crushed ice in a copper mug. There's a Lexington Mule made with bourbon, a Tijuana version with tequila and black currants, a Tokyo option with sake and peach liqueur, a Nassau Mule with coconut rum and pineapple, plus a handful more.
Food options are less exotic, but there are some gems to be had among a selection of small plates, sandwiches, flatbreads and salads.
Best thing I've had (which surprised me, since they're so easy to screw up) were perfectly cooked and seasoned seared scallops served over spring greens with crumbled bleu cheese, sweet potato chips and apple butter. The tangy-sweet flavors and creamy-crunchy textures worked well.
The black & blue flatbread with tenderloin, roasted garlic paste, onion marmalade and parsley is nice - and three other flatbread options sound equally appealing. The Maui Burger with pineapple and teriyaki glaze is delish, and the fries that come with - either Parmesan truffle or sweet potato - are ridiculously good.
Good, but not great, were a trio of filet medallions topped separately with bacon and blue cheese, a fried egg and a crab Mornay sauce; the tempura-style green beans with wasabi cream; and seafood mac 'n' cheese, which was much better after a self-administered shower of salt.
Near misses were a kale and quinoa salad (good flavor, but far too crunchy) and quinoa-spinach cakes that were pretty dry unless you overloaded the tangy buffalo sauce served with them.
Still, much more good than bad.
Except for one isolated incident, service at both the bar and restaurant has been fantastic. Bartender Chase rocks, exhibiting all the great traits you want in the guy working his mixing magic - very knowledgeable, super personable, attentive service, remembers what you like. Sonny also was great, even though she was slammed the night I stopped by. Waitress Julia was a delight when we popped in for dinner on Valentine's Day.
Celsius won't make a name for itself as one of Charleston's finest dining spots, but that's OK. It serves a niche as a cool cocktail lounge serving fantastic drinks and pretty good food.
And that's more than enough.
IF YOU GO Celsius is located at 212 Hale St. in downtown Charleston, with entrances on Hale and Dickinson streets. It is open from 4 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday. Call 304-345-4948 for more information.
Steven Keith writes a weekly food column for the Daily Mail. He can be reached at 304-348-1721 or by email at dailymailfoodguy@aol.com. You can also follow him on Facebook and Pinterest as "DailyMail FoodGuy," on Twitter as "DMFoodGuy" or read his blog at http://blogs.charlestondailymail.com/foodguy.