My Top 3 Restaurant Challenge in Charleston, SC

The results are in for my Top 3 Restaurant Challenge in Charleston, SC! Charleston has so many great restaurants, but three stand above the rest in terms of service, food choices, and most importantly for us with food allergies, attention to food allergies. Each of these three restaurants are extremely difficult to get reservations on any given night, so I highly recommend using the Open Table App to reserve your table.

I narrowed my Top 3 down to:

- Husk Restaurant, 76 Queen St.
- Edmund's Oast, 1081 Morrison Dr.
- Halls Chophouse, 434 King St.

AND THE WINNER IS...

Ok, ok, so I could not pick one clear winner. I have had great experiences at all three and depending on the evening, any of the three could slide into that number one spot. However, for my Top 3 Challenge, I will break down each restaurant and rank them according to the Challenge Dining Experience.

Husk Restaurant's Pork Dish

HUSK RESTAURANT is consistently named one of the top restaurants in the country. I know why... fresh, locally sourced ingredients and a menu that keeps you guessing what great dishes will be available that evening.

Pros:
- Love the Farm to Table Aspect (check the chalk board near the hostess stand for a list of ingredient sources)
- Constantly changing the menu to give diners a chance to always try something new
- Very good with food allergies (Dined during Restaurant Week last year and even with a prix fixe menu, there were gluten free options)

Cons:
- With the changing menu, it is very possible that your favorite Husk dish may not be on the menu that evening. That was the case during my Top 3 Challenge. I love the Pork Belly Dish, and it was not available that night. My meal was very good, but was not the dish I was craving when I arrived.

Because I was hoping for the Pork Belly, Husk landed at #3 in my Top 3 Challenge. Numbers 1 and 2 were more difficult to determine. Both Edmund's Oast and Halls Chophouse go above and beyond to serve those of us with food allergies, and that is why they are my top 2! I love being able to dine in a restaurant that has amazing service and know I am going to get a safe, delicious meal without making me feel like I have a million requests or accommodations.

Edmund's Oast's Charcuterie Board with Gluten Free Bread

EDMUND'S OAST is a newcomer to Charleston, opening last year, but comes in strong with great small plate items and tasty options.

Pros:
- Julia Ingram, Pastry Chef at Edmund's Oast, is gluten free and makes all the desserts gluten free as well as the most amazing gluten free bread
- Julia's fiancee is head chef, Andy Henderson. Andy really gets gluten free and while most dishes are naturally gluten free, all dishes can be modified to be gluten free
- The Charcuterie Fresh Board is the most amazing thing ever... get the gluten free bread to go with it!
- Order the Pickled Shrimp, on gluten free bread, of course!
- Owner Scott Shor takes great care in making sure all diners are having a great experience at Edmund's Oast and has a well trained staff who is happy to make sure your meal is food allergy free.
- Did I mention the gluten free desserts??
- Did I mention the gluten free bread??

Cons:
- Edmund's Oast has over 40 beers on tap (and is nationally known for its own beer brewing), but does not have any gluten free beers. They do have two cider options, but they are not on tap.

Halls Chophouse's Fried Green Tomatoes

HALLS CHOPHOUSE is THE place to go for a steak in Charleston. It is also the place to go for outstanding service and a fabulous gluten free meal.

Pros:
- Halls is family owned and co-owner Billy Hall wants to make sure you have a fantastic meal with fantastic service every time you dine with them. He will greet you when you walk through the door and be the first person to ask you how your dining experience was as you leave. His servers are well trained and very attentive (During one of my dining experiences, a near-by diner started choking. Before anyone realized, our server rushed over and gave the man the Heimlich Maneuver, saving his life!).
- Without even making it a big deal, Halls uses gluten free rice flour to fry with so all fried items are gluten free. You must order the Fried Green Tomatoes. They are out of this world! I keep saying I am going to just order four plates of them on my next trip!
- The steaks are top notch! I really love Halls Prime Rib, since I find it very difficult to find gluten free Prime Rib, due to the aus jus. Halls takes great care to prepare it safely. It is a top seller and tends to run out, as evidenced by my Top 3 Challenge visit, but I was able to enjoy a fabulous Filet instead.

Cons:
- No gluten free bread. With all the gluten free options at Halls (did I mention the Fried Green Tomatoes?!?), gluten free bread would be awesome!

As you can see, it is too difficult to choose just one. Each restaurant is so different, but one thing is the same, they accommodate for food allergies. I love how each, especially Edmund's Oast and Halls, don't make a big deal out of their accommodations, allowing us with food allergies to feel normal among other diners. For a food item to be automatically gluten free or have a gluten free substitution, gives those without food allergies a chance to realize that our "special" food can be delicious.

With Edmund's Oast and Halls Chophouse, depending on the night and what I am craving, either one could be my number one restaurant in Charleston. With all the great choices in this "foodie" city, these two go above and beyond, not only with food allergy accommodation, but with world class food. Check them out and let me know your Top 3 Restaurants in Charleston, SC!

EAT: Second Trip to Husk Restaurant During Charleston Restaurant Week

I finally had the opportunity to return to Husk Restsurant in Charleston, SC for dinner. I had a fantastic meal the last time I ate at Husk for lunch, so I was eager to return to one of the top restaurants in the country to see of it lives up to the hype and up to my first experience. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. 

Last week was Charleston Restaurant Week. I highly recommend checking out as many restaurants as possible during this annual event. I wish I had, as the popular restaurants book early (my reservation was made a month in advance, unaware of Restaurant Week). Participating restaurants offer a multiple-course prix fixe menu, so no substitutions or normal menu items available. At first, with all my food allergies, I was a little apprehensive about the menu. I knew if Husk had the entree from my first trip, I was definitely getting that again. I thought I would probably have to skip dessert since the options did not look allergen free on the menu. A chat with my server and I found out there was a gluten free and corn free option for each course!

For the first course, I ordered the Carolina Gold Risotto with smoky tomatoes, sweet peas, and goat's milk feta, minus the soft poached egg. Super tasty! Since I am corn free, risotto (rice) has become a new favorite. It had a consistency of grits, the only thing this Southern girl misses corn-wise, and a lot of flavor.

My dinner companion ordered gluten free as well and chose the Marinated Nectarines with Surryano Ham, Roasted Sweet Corn, Frilly Mustard Greens, Toasted VA Peanuts, and Honey Ricotta. With the addition of corn, I had to pass on a sample, but he said it was quite good. I loved the presentation with the wooden bowl! He did comment that my risotto was the winner of the two.

For the main course, we both decided on the VA Heritage Pork with creamy Sea Island Red Peas and Smoky Butterbeans, Mustard Greens, and Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes. The pork shoulder dish was very similar to my lunch entree I had during my first visit to Husk and it was just as good.

Now, for dessert! All of the choices looked gluten-tastic on the menu, but our server quickly pointed out that the Chocolate Fudge Cake and Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream was flourless and gluten free. Yum! What a finish to a fantastic meal! The chocolate cake was really good, but I have had better. The ice cream, on the other hand, was OMG! I don't eat dairy by choice, except for certain cheeses, but the ice cream was a must splurge. It had real mint flavor, like the way mint is muddled in a mojito, not that fake mint flavor you find in most ice creams.

All in all, my second trip to Husk lived up to the hype. It is my favorite restaurant in Charleston so far, and I will definitely be back. I am also looking forward to checking out Charleston Restaurant Week next year. What a great opportunity to take in the local cuisine!

Husk Restaurant

76 Queen St. 

Charleston, SC 

843.577.2500

www.huskrestaurant.com

EAT: Husk Restaurant, Charleston, SC

I was excited to try out the Best New Restaurant 2011, according to Bon Appetit and Southern Living Magazines, when in Charleston, SC. It did not disappoint! Besides amazing food, the servers were very knowledgeable about food allergies and making the experience memorable. 

Husk was packed at lunch and requests reservations for both lunch and dinner. Even with reservations, there is a few minute wait to prepare the table. A group of 12 walked in, but there was no availability without reservations. Husk has a big board on the wall showing the sources of their ingredients from vendors from across the Southeast. 

Our server was very knowledgeable about the ingredients of each dish. Any questions he could not answer he was happy to check with the chef. 

The menu at Husk changes almost daily. I ordered the Virginia Heritage Pork with Carolina Gold Rice, Smoky Beans, Tuscan Kale, and Pot Likker, all gluten, corn, egg, and dairy free. An amazing fusion of flavors! While at first the pork looked like a piece of tenderloin, it was pork shoulder and so tender.  To drink, I had a refreshing non-alcoholic spritzer called Our Lady of Guadalupe, a mixture of green tea, orange juice, lime juice, and burnt honey. It was perfect for a hot summer day!

My lunch companion ordered the Shrimp and Grits, which was gluten free, but of course not corn free, so I had to take his word on how good it was. His take: the shrimp and grits were fantastic, but my pork was better.

We passed on dessert after the meal, but there were a couple of gluten free options. All in all, Husk lived up to the hype! I can't wait to go back again soon!

UPDATE: Be sure to check out the Bar at Husk!  It is located behind the restaurant in the old slave quarters.  The bar is small, but rustic, and serves a great variety of cocktails and bar food. I always stick to gluten free and corn free (grain free) alcohols when ordering cocktails.  Many people with food allergies have no problem with grain alcohols since it is distilled and should be gluten free, however, I find that I react to grain alcohols. I don't drink often (especially near and during tournaments), but when I have an occasional cocktail, I stick with Potato Vodka or Rum (Cane Sugar) and away from processed mixes, which usually have high fructose corn syrup. We sampled the Charleston Light Dragoon Punch (left) and On Top of the Ol' Sierra Madre (right). 

Husk Restaurant

76 Queen St.

Charleston, SC 

843.577.2500

http://www.huskrestaurant.com