5 Great Restaurants in Charleston, SC | Foodie Friday

During a short summer trip we ate at some of the best restaurants Charleston, SC has to offer. The list we compiled beforehand was extensive, but with just 5 days to explore the city, only a select few made the cut. From seafood to southern-style cooking we tried many different things while sampling the Charleston restaurants, everything was incredibly delicious. I can't wait to go back!

Hominy is Not Hype: Arguably the best shrimp and grits in the state, maybe even the east coast, can be found at Hominy Grill. I didn't have much to compare them to since it was my first time having this quintessential southern breakfast, but it was delicious! If you're feeling really brave you can try the super tasty Big Nasty biscuit w/ a fried chicken breast, cheddar cheese & smothered in sausage gravy. It was a scary beast, but it was awesome! (207 Rutledge Ave., 843.937.0930, hominygrill.com)

Happy Hour Hideaway: In the heart of Charleston's historic district is a great place to hideout for happy hour. Pearlz Oyster Bar offers a variety of oysters and other fresh and local seafood for those who have a penchant for shellfish. If slurping down sea creatures isn't your bag, you might like their corn fritters ($2.95). They weren't like other fritters I've had, theirs were more like hush puppies, but they were still yummy. (153 East Bay Street, 843.577.5755, http://www.pearlzoysterbar.com)

Where Seafood Reigns Supreme: This place is more of an institution than it is a restaurant with the history of this family-run business going back to 1890 when they operated a wholesale company. Over the years, that has changed and they now run Hyman's Seafood and Aaron's Deli from the same location. It is an extremely busy place, and rightly so, because it's been voted the Best Seafood in the Southeast by Southern Living Magazine for the past 9 years. The food was excellent, the prices were very reasonable and the portions were enormous. One of the owners came walking by at some point wielding a pan of the absolute BEST hush puppies I have ever tasted in my life. No joke! (215 Meeting Street, 843.723.6000, http://www.hymanseafood.com)

 
The Icing on the Cake: Due to a freak flood in downtown Charleston, we had to wade through knee deep water in order to get our slice of cake before saying farewell to the city. The dessert offerings change on a daily basis, but we tried the Brownie Sundae Cake, which was shamefully decadent. Kaminsky's is a tasty escape that has an entire display case of sweet treats that could keep you full for days! You don't want to miss it. (78 N. Market St., 843.853.8270, http://www.kaminskys.com)

 
Shiver me Timbers! One of the bars/restaurants we stopped at during our pub stroll, called the Buccaneer, houses one of the largest collections of authentic pirate memorabilia in the USA. Pirate tales were told during our tour of this tavern while we munched on a bowl of sweet potato chips ($5). I sipped on a Crazy Arnold ($7) made with cucumber infused lemonade and Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, their spin on this southern cocktail will totally knock your socks off. (5 Faber Street, 843.805.5065,  http://www.thebuccaneerrestaurant.com)

RELATED LINKS:

• 20 Reasons Why I Love Charleston, SC A collection of my favorites sights, eats, and experiences. 
• Going Coastal in Charleston, SC (Raw Footage) A montage of moving pictures! a.k.a. video
• Photo Essay: Underground Art in Charleston, SC
• A Casual Collection of Charleston Charm A photo montage 

 
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4th of July Recipe Round-Up | Foodie Friday

(Lamb Slider w/ Rosemary)

As many of you prepare for this three day weekend, you may have holiday festivity planning on your mind. When I say festivities, I really mean the food. Let's face it, that's pretty much all I care about these days. Due to the fact that I just got back in town after being away from home for quite a while, we aren't planning any special get-together, but I am thinking about food. (When am I not?!)

Unless we are invited to a last-minute cookout or potluck, we'll just be cooking for ourselves this 4^th of July. I really wish Cody and I could do what we did last year, which was hike up the Profile Trail at Grandfather Mountain and watch about 20+ firework displays happening down below. It was magical and completely awesome!

Since we can't go on a hike, I'll just cook instead. I've come across some helpful websites with a slew of 4^th of July recipes that I'm sure will be useful if you are planning a special meal for your family. Whether you're searching for dessert ideas or grilling inspiration, I've got some great links to share for your fourth of July meal planning!

EATS

• 4^th or July Weekend Menu Planner from Serious Eats: This is one of my favorite websites, the photography always makes my mouth water. Along with your classic BBQ recipes, they have recipes for dips, drinks, and desserts. I'd love to try the Lemon Basil Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches...Yum! Bonus: You'll also find links to grilling tips as well! 
  
  
• 100 4^th of July Recipes from Food Network: Not only do they wow you with tasty television, they also tantalize your taste buds with a website chock full of tempting recipes. If I'm on the hunt for a recipe, FN is likely one of the first places I will check. The recipe round-up they have compiled for the upcoming holiday meal planning definitely won't disappoint. Number #20, the Nacho Dog, is so up my alley. I'll take two, please!
  
  
• July 4^th Recipe Category from Taste of Home: This recipe round-up has many different options to choose from with several different categories, like appetizers, side dishes, dinner, as well as a special dessert and ice cream section. The Grilled Portobellos with Mozzarella Salad, in the side dishes category, sounds delicious! I like the user reviews and star ratings posted on this site, it gives you a good idea of what might be worth trying.
  
  
• 4^th of July Recipes from Cooking Light: If the images on their site don't make you drool, I don't know what will! The majority of the recipes in their round-up are simple to make and use a manageable amount of ingredients. I really want one of those Honey-Chipotle Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches, it looks monstrous and messy...in a good way! I'd wash it down with one of those Watermelon Margaritas :D

DRINKS & DESSERTS

• 15 Creative Treats for July 4^th from The Kitchn: I absolutely love this website. It's one of those places I always look when I'm trying to figure out what to make for dinner on the fly with what I have in the cupboard. Their July 4^th dessert round-up caught my eye because of the pop of patriotic colors. I probably wouldn't go through the trouble of being that festive, but I do love the ideas & recipes they posted. Maybe you will, too! 
  
  
• Patriotic Dessert for the 4^th of July from Food Your Way: Compared to The Kitchn, this is a smaller round-up of desserts, but I like a few of the ideas here as well. The Patriotic Cupcakes in a Jar are super cute; I'm such a sucker for desserts served in a mason jar :D
  
  
• Party Punches from Food & Wine: I really dislike those website that make you click through slow-running slideshows to see recipes, but I figured that this would be fun to share nonetheless.

VEGETARIANS, VEGANS & GLUTEN FREE

• Vegan 4^th of July Menu from She Knows: This vegan recipe round-up has a range of options to choose from for those conscientious eaters. The Blackberry Cherry Salsa caught my attention along with the Quinoa Stuffed Sweet Peppers. 
  
  
• Vegetarian Portobello Burgers from Wellsphere: I've tried some very juicy portobello bugers in my day, although I haven't tested this actual recipe. However, it looks and sounds incredible! Basil Pesto seems like the perfect compliment to this beefy mushroom, don't you think?!
  
  
• Gluten Free Fourth of July Recipes from Elana's Pantry: I just feel healthier when I peruse her website. It's simple and clean, just like her recipes. As far as I know, I don't have any reason to eat gluten-free, but that doesn't stop me from trying what she has to share any way. The Sesame Salmon Burgers are definitely something I'd like to try along with the Espresso Fudge Brownies.

I hope that some of the links shared in this 4^th of July Recipe Round-Up will be helpful in your meal preparation. If anything, it might make you slightly more confused since there are so many great options to choose from! Either way, I hope you have a terrific 3-day weekend full of food, fireworks, and fun :D

Is is lunchtime yet, because this post has made me unbelievably hungry! How about you? 

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Sony Foodie Photo Contest WINNER (Sony Cybershot WX9)

A contest where readers posted food photos for an opportunity to win a new Sony WX9 has been running for three weeks on the Wayfaring Wanderer Facebook page. If you weren't aware, you're too late to the party because the time to participate has passed. It's time to announce the winner!

 

The only requirement was that the food image shared be taken of something edible in order to be eligible. From that point on, it was up to the audience to decide who would be the proud new owner of this awesome little point and shoot.

  Fifteen entries were posted for consideration, but only five of those submissions made it to the final round of voting. It was an extremely close contest from the beginning. The leader changed many times over the course of this week. Up until the last few hours, it could have been anyone's new digital camera! 

It comes with great pleasure to announce the winner of the SONY WX9:

Congratulations to ANDI COCHRAN who hoped to win this camera so that she could take it on an upcoming trip to Peru!

Andi, it will be perfect for your trip; I hope you capture some unforgettable memories!

(Andi's Caption)

"This photo is my entry into the Sony Foodie Photo Contest. I love to bake and find myself in the kitchen when time allows. This photo is of my favorite Vegan Lemon Cupcakes w/ Lemon 'Buttercream' Icing. Mmm."

Thank you to all those who participated in the giveaway.
I hope to host another one very soon, so stay tuned!