Charleston fromMe2U

Charleston, South Carolina, has been number one on my list of places I have wanted to visit in the United States for as long as I can remember, and I finally made it there over Memorial Day weekend! We stayed at Market Pavilion Hotel which turned out to be an excellent choice. The hotel was quite lovely with warm and friendly staff as well as a hip rooftop deck to enjoy some cocktails or take a dip in the pool. The hotel also offered $50 vouchers to use at the rooftop bar and restaurants which we took full advantage of.

 View from the rooftop at Market Pavilion

During the day we strolled down cobblestone streets past mansions, beautiful gardens, ocean views, and markets. I enjoyed exploring King Street (for shopping), the market (which I decided was a HUGE tourist trap), taking a carriage ride, and spending a day relaxing at Folly Beach (the only beach in Charleston you can drink at - huge plus). 

Beautiful mansion with a sophisticated porch

Ocean views

My street!

 

Carriage ride - A must! 

(perfect way to explore the city and learn some of the rich history)

One of the things I was most looking forward to about Charleston is the gourmet Southern cuisine. Yum! Of the 3 places we ate dinner at (Anson, Poogan's Porch & Hank's) Anson gets first place. Southern charm at its best! I can't remember the last time I went to a restaurant, and I literally wanted to order everything off the menu it sounded so good! We started out with a nice bottle of Cabernet and several appetizers.

Viader Cabernet

Pork belly on top of a waffle with corn cheddar cheese and bacon with egg on top

Pimento cheese with garlic bread

Fried okra

Each of these appetizers were outstanding. The pork belly was cooked perfectly. The combination of cheese, egg, bacon and a plump and fatty pork belly was excellent. I think it disappeared in less than 2 minutes. The pimento cheese was delicious. The garlic bread was cooked to perfection and mixed with pimento cheese was the perfect combination. Lastly, the fried okra was off the charts. It was lightly fried with just the right amount of breading and flavor. Even if you don't think you like okra, order it. You won't be disappointed.

Deep fried flounder

Macaroni & cheese

As a main course I ordered the flounder. At Anson they give you the whole fish. The meat on the fish is cut in diamond shapes for a reason. The fish is so delicate (and you want to avoid eating the bones) that you are supposed to lightly pull each piece off the fish as you eat it. It was cooked to perfection. The macaroni and cheese was fabulous. Melted cheese, butter and pasta - what could be better than that.  All in all Anson was superb and lived up to our expectations. A perfect place to taste some Southern cuisine.

Soft Shell Crabs fromMe2U

Monday nights are my version of "dinner and a movie." I like to make a nice dinner and watch the Bachelorette. I thought soft shell crabs would be the perfect choice, since they are currently in season. Most restaurants serve soft shell crabs fried; however, I think they are much tastier sauteed.

Soft Shell Crab

We made seven!

Lightly dusted in a bed of flour

Ready to be sauteed

All crabs sauteed in a pan with unsalted butter & olive oil

Flip after 7 - 10 minutes

Crabs are ready to be served when they are golden brown 

Steamed artichokes for a side dish

I am not a huge fan of sauces, so I serve the crabs with a few lemon wedges. Sprinkle a little lemon over the crabs, and they will melt in your mouth. Perfect summer dish. Dinner is served and it's time to watch the Bachelorette!