As you know, I rarely write about my restaurant experiences. Let me assure you, there are many. The last post I put on this blog was about my wonderful meal with the amazing Richard Blais, who is now the brains behind the burger concept Flip.
This past weekend, I experienced one of the best meals of my life, courtesy of Sean Brock, executive chef at McCrady's in Charleston, South Carolina. Everything from the cocktails to the dessert were the perfect balance between trends and technique - toeing the line with touches of molecular gastronomy while staying true to classic preparations and Southern traditions. From a margarita with mango infused tequila and yuzu Dippin' Dots to the liquid nitrogen frozen raspberries - done tableside in the old school WOW factor tradition - this food was exciting, engaging, and most importantly delicious.The pairings with each course were so thoughtful and adventurous and spot on.
Afterwards, we had the pleasure of chatting with Chef Brock and he was a delight - down to earth, joyous about his job and the restaurant he cooks in. No wonder he's won so many accolades, from both fans and critics alike.
I have posted a photo set on Flickr for everyone to see. You can view the menu and the tasting menu that we had - with some additions - on McCrady's website. It shows the progression of our meal and the photos turned out quite well - thanks to the beauty spotlight that just happened to be hanging over my seat. Thank you to McCradys and Chef Brock and my spectacular dinner companion for such a memorable experience.
