Dear Chef McMahon: Whether we sit at your community table or scoot into your fancy leather booths, we love how your staff pampers us with old-school Charleston manners. Thank you for that, and for your throwback dishes (shrimp and grits, seafood á la Wando, and fried seafood platters), too. But most of all, thank you for making us love swordfish. In other hands, it’s dry, tough, and forgettable, but with your coaxing, it becomes a succulent, tender star. Also, your sweet corn, leek, and ham hock bisque gives it just the right Southern accent, and pairing it with golden-fried okra and sautéed spinach was spot-on. Signed, Us. P.S. Your kitchen also turns out some of the best pan-seared scallops in the city. Really. 10 Hayne St., (843) 723-3474, www.hanksseafoodrestaurant.com
