Charleston Living Magazine May-June 2023

(Left): The Charleston Grill dining room; (Right):
Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and a tomato Vierge sauce
is topped with sea beans; (Below, clockwise from top
left): Truffle Caviar service comes with accoutrements
vodka lemon gelee, cream cheese and potato crispies;
The tuna crudo comes with a sesame chili crisp,
mango vinaigrette and sea beans; (From left): Chef
Susy Castelloe and Chef Michelle Weaver.
Inside the restaurant, designers Gregory
Blake Sams and Athalie Derse produced a
fresh interpretation of Southern elegance with
a lighter touch throughout the space.
“The inspiration is Old World,” notes
Gaupin. “We wanted to create the elegance
of the classic European restaurant, and at the
same time, an environment that feels good to
be in.”
The candlelit dining room, bathed in
warm afternoon light, felt like a big hug. Light
jazz played in the background. Sumptuous
seating, rich upholstery and a color palette of
pale whites and touches of gold created an ambiance
that was both intimate and grand.
We were greeted at our table by Bryan
Austin, who guided us expertly through the
menu, offering suggestions for wine pairings
for each dish from the restaurant’s awardwinning
list of 1,000-plus labels.
From start to finish, every detail of the
dining experience was intentional—like the
basketful of pain d’épi, a small plump version of
baguette from Brown’s Court Bakery.
We began with truffle caviar—intensely
flavored bits of truffle fashioned to look like
fish eggs, presented with all the accoutrements
of a conventional caviar plate. An elegant appetizer,
it elevated the menu and demonstrated a
whimsical side of Castelloe’s culinary approach.
“I like to take something familiar to the
guest,” she explains, “whether a flavor profile
or an ingredient, and change the appearance
so the dish is something totally different than
what they expect.”
Next came a tuna crudo that hit all the
right spicy-sweet notes with a housemade
sesame-chili crisp and mango vinaigrette. Sea
beans from local Heron Farms, the only sea
bean farm in the country, added a brininess
that rounded out the dish perfectly. A tip from
Castelloe—you can find the beans on Sullivan’s
Island beaches if you know where to look.
We shared the jumbo lump crab cake for
which the restaurant is famous. The tomato
vierge—a traditional sauce Castelloe favors
for its simplicity—is the one tweak to the 95
percent crabmeat-filled cake. Outstanding.
We chose entrées from the “water” and
the “fields:” Snapper, perfectly cooked, bathed
in a rich tomato broth simmered for hours with
fish broth and vermouth. Chorizo and white
beans finished the decadent yet light dish.
The Wagyu New York Strip, also perfectly
cooked and melt-in-your-mouth tender, is
sourced from Georgia-based Chatel Farms.
The lovely presentation—pomme purée and
charred vegetables—was elevated by details
like blending the potatoes with Lowcountry
Creamery crème fraîche. The classic red wine
jus accentuated the beef flavor deliciously.
A shared dish of profiteroles and coffee
French-pressed at table brought our meal to a
delightful close. The classic puff pastry was enriched
with housemade pistachio ice cream and
a warm chocolate sauce. Simple and elegant.
A perfect experience and enticing harbinger
of what’s yet to come. •
Charleston Grill
224 King Street, Charleston
843-751-4017
Charlestonplace.com/dining
May/June 2023 | 79