McCrady's - Charleston, SC

Dinner - Friday, December 27, 2013

Before Husk propelled Sean Brock into the stratosphere, there was McCrady's. When it first opened, the restaurant had a fairly strong molecular gastronomy bent, but this has been significantly dialed back over the years, as Brock's cuisine has evolved.

While not as tethered to the South as Husk, there is still a strong sense of place at McCrady's. This is first expressed in the 18th century building (older even than Husk's space) that the restaurant occupies - a beautiful wood-and-brick structure that is warm and inviting. The menu, too, emphasizes regional ingredients, although with an appropriately playful spin in many dishes.

Husk - Charleston, SC

Dinner - Thursday, December 26, 2013

Husk really needs no introduction - the restaurant and Sean Brock have received saturating levels of national press for its commitment to using (and reviving) Southern ingredients.

All the food served at the restaurant is sourced from a region bordered to the north by the Mason-Dixon line, and to the west by Texas. Now, provenance is one thing, but taste is a completely separate matter - I must admit to being a little skeptical of all the hype. Thus, we arrived at dinner with a small degree of trepidation, hoping that the evening would not bomb out. I'm happy to report that it exceeded expectations, and ended up being our favourite meal in Charleston.

Aubergine - Carmel, CA

Dinner - Sunday, November 17, 2013

When traveling, it's unusual for us to visit an out-of-town restaurant more than once within a short time span - there're just so many places to try. Yet, this is our third meal at Aubergine this year - a testament to the house that Justin Cogley and Ron Mendoza have built. On this night, we shared our meal with two others who had each come long distances to dine here. Over four hours, we ate our way through 25 courses - an evening that will not soon be forgotten.