Almost There [Charleston,SC]

[filleparfaite1]

Thanks for all the dedicated reviewers who recommended McCrady's. It was so promising, but ultimately a near miss.

I hate to tell the natives, but I will never return to Charleston. It is overpriced, my accommodations at the French Quarter Inn were lackluster at best, and the hotel cheated me out of $400.

But on to the restaurant . . .

NIGHT ONE: THE TASTING MENU WITH WINE PAIRINGS

The first night, I went on a romantic date with my husband.

The space itself is breathtaking. It feels revolutionary . . . brick everywhere, a fireplace, a large painting of the city in straightforward primary colors.

I won't regurgitate the entire tasting menu (4 savory courses/2 sweet), but will only cover the hits and misses.

An overall complaint is that the servers often had to be prodded to describe the dish. I should not have to ask you (repeatedly): What is this? What am I eating here?

Also, I don't like foams, which were plentiful. I have only ever eaten what I esteem to be a "successful foam" (one which added some flavor to the dish--this was an espresso-sized cup of foam with abalone at Corton). I understand molecular gastronomy (I love Richard Blais and Wiley Dufresne) but please just do like Eric Ripert and make me an honest sauce.

On to the meal:

* I was shocked that we did not receive an amuse bouche. That would be unacceptable in any high-value New York or Atlanta restaurant, and the prices at McCrady's are just as high.

* The first course had some sort of frozen white twill which was supposed to compliment caviar in a celeriac apple broth. It did not compliment the dish and was a shocking example of Tom Collichio's theory of "one ingredient too many." It was a pretty poor start.

* The pork was melt-in-your-mouth luscious. I've never had better, and I regularly eat the work of Kevin Gillespie. It was a truly transcendent and memorable taste.

* A sous vide egg in a sort of Mason jar with elderberry smoke which rolled out once the top was removed. It was a pleasant effect.

* The beef was so tender that I wanted to cry. They did not ask us how we wanted it cooked, but it was served exquisitely rare. I like that confidence level.

* Fresh diver scallops with a disc of black truffle jelly. Again, transcendent. I licked my finger.

* The desserts were forgettable. Some banana/chocolate combo (yawn) and a sort of deconstructed Milky Way bar--chocolate mousse and three different flavors of chocolate powder. It wasn't anything special.

* The wine pairings were spot on and they actually paired a beer with our beef. Again, ballsy--I like it!

* The cappuccino was very well made and a nice end to the meal.

NIGHT TWO: A LA CARTE

The second night, I went to McCrady's with my mother.

We both started with a glass of the Aubry champagne . . . my new favorite. It is lush, salmony pink and has a lovely body without blowing the bank.

I forgot to mention that the bread is lovely--made by a local bakery. You can get sourdough or multigrain and choose to dip it in an exquisite EVOO or spread on a fresh pat of butter sprinkled liberally with fleur de sel.

For a starter, my Mom had handmade whole wheat spaghetti with baby tomatoes. I didn't taste it, as I was again ensconced in my diver scallops with caramelized squash and that black truffle jelly disc. Mom gave the thumbs-up, and you know how I feel about those scallops with truffle. The scallop dish would be a 10 in any restaurant.

For the second course, we shared celeriac soup with trumpet mushrooms. The soup was good, but was missing acid. I had a nice white Cote du Rhone that rounded it out.

For the final course, my Mom had melted escarole, parsnip puree and that luscious beef from the night before. I had a bite and it was dreamy.

I had the "vegetarian" option because I was craving veggies. Big mistake. It was an assembly of beautiful baby veggies, but was completely unseasoned. The bottom of the dish contained a half-hearted pesto of walnuts and pine nuts which had absolutely no flavor. I had to ask for salt, which was brought to the table with a shrug. Again, in New York or Atlanta, the server would have asked me what was wrong with the dish. A fine dining restaurant should, at a minimum, properly season its food. Even the salt could not save this sad dish.

What is so hard about making a solid vegetarian dish??? I just wanted some well-cooked, well-seasoned veggie. Apparently that is asking too much unless the chef is some sort of vegan!

For dessert, we ordered the sorbet tasting, creme brulee (my Mom) and a chocolate mousse with mint ice cream and chocolate-flavored Nerds.

The sorbet tasting comes in a long line of miniature ice cream cones and is easily the most fun dessert presentation I have seen in a long time. Flavors like lemon thyme were inventive without being obnoxious.

I didn't try the creme brulee, which long ago started to bore me, but it looked perfectly executed. My Mom didn't want the miniature orange chocolate biscotti which came with it and I gladly enjoyed it with my espresso.

Again, the chocolate mousse was a little boring. The Nerds were a fun accent and the mint chip ice cream was very good.

If I went again, I would just do the sorbet tasting and cappuccino with that heavenly biscotti.

In New York, every fine-dining establishment offers a truffle and petit four or other small confectionary nibble after the tasting menu. Here, we got one of those tiny tasting spoons of a sort of cherry chocolate cake with vanilla creme and crispy rice "caviar." Okay, but not anything I wanted to eat again after having it the night before.

McCrady's does offer truffles after dessert, but you have to PAY for them. Okay, I thought--and I ordered a dozen to go. There were only four different items: banana cream pie truffle, peanut brittle, candied macadamia nuts and chocolate truffle. They were boring in every way possible and poorly made. I don't know where they get their couvuture, but they would do well to change it up and to get some truffle-making lessons from Robert Truitt or Marc Aumont.

This is a good restaurant. But there were some unforgiveable lapses that would not be allowed in a restaurant of its caliber in NYC or Atlanta. Unless you are overly fond of the overpriced, take a trip to NYC instead.

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McCrady's Restaurant
2 Unity Alley, Charleston, SC 29401

[danna]

Thanks for taking time to give us that detailed review. I'm curious why you went there twice if you didn't really like it. Charleston is full of good food, and not at McCrady's prices.

I have not eaten at McCrady's since the new chef and his molecular gastromomy turn. I ate in the wine bar about 4 years ago and was underwhelmed.

I'm with you on the foam thing, give it a rest, Lord. Although I must admit I had a wasabi foam recently that made me ALMOST rethink my anti-foam position. And I, too, am a sucker for mignardes after a meal. I will say that I remember Alinea didn't end with them either. Maybe it's a tennant of the mol gas movement.

[filleparfaite1]

It wasn't that I didn't like it. I love the concept and a lot of the food. Three stars in a New York Times review means the restaurant is very, very good. But I like to dine at restaurants at least twice before giving my opinion. I've found the "sophomore meal" is often like the sophomore album.