Our taste-and-tell guide to some of the latest food and beverage openings in Charleston
NICO
French chef Nico Romo knows a thing or two about oysters. When he took his staff on a lengthy road trip up the East Coast, they returned with a wide selection of bivalves from Maine to Beaufort. In Romo’s new Mount Pleasant spot, the oysters are served raw or baked au Camembert (a French preparation with deliciously browned cheese). Have a cocktail on the patio, then venture inside, where you’ll find that the stunning copper-trimmed space offers the perfect setting for a shrimp cocktail starter (pictured above) or a skillet of mussels. After sharing a few small plates, try the fire-roasted fish entrée (striped bass on our visit); the dish’s butter, citrus, and oak flavors come full circle when paired with a glass of Chardonnay. Top off the meal with decadent crème brûlée, torched table side. www.nicoshemcreek.com
Basic Kitchen
If a post-holiday detox is what you crave, this is the place to get your fix. Housed somewhat ironically in the old Andolini’s pizzeria space on Wentworth, Basic Kitchen, opened by restaurateur-designer couple Ben and Kate Towill, is light and airy inside, with fresh, clean-eating menus to match. Before nestling into a sunlit corner, take a moment to browse the bright display of bottled juices and locally made kombucha up front. Pick your potion from the fridge or order off the menu: the “Jittery Monkey” smoothie, a blend of cold brew coffee, bananas, coconut milk, cashews, and cacao, woke us right up. Veggie-packed bowls star among the breakfast and lunch offerings (get the “Rainbow Bowl,” a riff on pad Thai with sweet potato noodles, pictured above), but be sure to try the fried cauliflower “wings” with buffalo sauce—they might just convert you to plant-based eating for good. www.basickitchen.com
