"Destination- eating": Weekend away to Charleston

So if you remember my past blog on Destination Eating, my hubby asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I said “I want to eat” 🙂 .. so I guess my girlfriends read my blog and took that and my desire to be at the beach to heart and treated me to a lovely weekend in Charleston, SC. (My home away from home).

So here we are all set at 6:30 in the morning for our beach/culinary weekend!!

We have ARRIVED!! at the beautiful Isle of Palms.

After a few hours of soaking in the sun and sand.. It was time to start the culinary part of the trip.. First stop Hucks!!

Glorious shrimp tacos with a pickled red onion topping (Try Freaky Curry’s own recipe for pickled red onions for your tacos the next time)

Delish Fish tacos with fresh feta!! salty and oh so crumbly… The fish was lightly battered and fried. Crisp on the outside and flaky on the inside.

Homemade ice cream!! Say what ?? YES PLEASE !!

Cinnamon honey, watermelon sorbet, classic Vanilla..

YES, YES and YES!!

Perfect sampler to share. not too sweet and oh so light.. Cinnamon honey was everyone’s favorite, hands down!

After a scrumptious lunch, it was time to check into our hotel in historic downtown Charleston..

Champagne check in at the fabulous French Quarter Inn right in the middle of the historic downtown district.

What fabulous service!! (As I finish my second glass of champagne)..

After a little rest and primping up, we headed downstairs for a wine and cheese reception..

Oh Fabulousity!! LOL

Getting ready to hit the town!!

Yes we match ! We know and we love it !! and so did folks in Chucktown..;)

Tried to get into Husk but no bueno.. miscommunication between us and the hostess plus it was too much to ask them to seat 5 of us together at the same time.. Mind you they don’t take reservations and yet they were committed for the night.. It was around 7:30 PM.. so I’m not sure what gives.. hmmmm..

Dinner and a birthday serenade at the amazing Magnolias..Had to wait an hour for a table but that gave us a chance to strut our stuff downtown and have a cocktail at the High Cotton which was hoppin’ !! Good looking patrons everywhere !! Good sights 🙂

Ah the smells and sights at Magnolias.. Delish.. Food smells and sights.. 🙂 (I know what you were thinking)..

None of us drank as we were swimming in wine and champagne by this point.. stuck to good ole’ H2O!!.. 🙂

Pickled Shrimp housemade benne seed crackers

Pickled shrimp –Almost like ceviche.. with a sesame cracker..

Boiled Peanut Hummus pickled okra, hot pepper relish, Charleston flatbread

Peanut hummus with almost fried wonton like strips for dipping and pickled okra.. a lil nutty and dense .. different.. a little chalky but a neat concept..

Salt and Pepper Fried Shrimp blackened grit cake, green tomato chow chow, peach jezebel sauce.

Salt and pepper shrimp—- DELISH!! came with a sweet and tangy relish..polished this off in a second..

Pan Seared Lump Crab Cakes lowcountry succotash, tomato butter

Crabcakes.. ’cause you are in Charleston baby.. you gotta have crabcakes.. delish, petite, light on breading.. nice sauce as an accompaniment.

We girls were on a mission.. I loved it that everyone partook in the celebration of eating.. Yes I just called eating a celebration.. LOL..

We are not shy about our eating good food and drinking good vino.. Love my ladies.. 🙂

After this, we also shared a filet, a salmon and a chicken entree’.. (No pics.. sorry).. Too busy eating and laughing I guess..

The girls tricked me into getting serenaded by this amazing man..

He sang “Happy Birthday” to me Opera style.. You have to ask for him the next time you go there.. I had goosebumps.. literally..

My birthday Creme Brulee’ medallion!! Made of chocolate.. 🙂

Perfect for me and the rest of the girls to nibble on..

So full at this point that we are not thinking or walking straight..Dresses are feeling a tad tighter, heels are hurting.. then we get asked by a random (happy on alcohol) man, if we were here for Salsa night.. and then we said “Lets’ go for salsa”..

Checked out the Saturday salsa night at the Southern Brewery..

Saw some “real” Salsa dancers put up a great performance..

Fun times.. So glad we went !

Got back to our comfy beds around 1:30 AM..

Night Night..

Next morning, after a leisurely Parisian breakfast at the Inn which included savory and sweet pastries, fruits accompanied by Mimosas and the works, we headed into the market for some sight seeing and walking around.. Found a great little restaurant Barbara Jeans.. Excellent service and El cheapo..

The pic below doesn’t do justice but the crab cakes (yes again) were falling off the fork.. the Fried okra was crisp and NOT greasy.. the red rice (not too heavy on the tomato) and the dirty rice were both distinct in flavors and oh it had flavor!!