I should have some fab-o pic to put here but I don't.
If you are ever in Charleston, don't listen to Old Man on the plane next to me giving advice to the inbound ladies group. Skip Hyman's unless you really really love fried Seafood. And if you do, go to the Wreck of Richard and Charlene or something like that in Mt Pleasant.
Here are my Top 5 after MUCH trial and error:
1. The Fat Hen on John's Island. Hands down. Our fave.
2. Magnolia's = awesome spot + designed for visitors = perfect!
3. Coast Restaurant (seafood). But don't order the whole trout. It comes as a whole trout (eyeball and all). But you have to sit outside and enjoy the VERY Charleston ivy/brick building/gate view. It's right behind Rue de Jean (and I think owned by the same people) which we found to be good but not outstanding. However, many consider it to be outstanding. Guess we ordered the wrong thing.
4. For brunch: 3 Little Birds behind the Windermere center in West Ashley. Small and quaint and I'd challenge you to find a better fresh omelet.
5. Red Drum Gastropub = for the 30-40-something bar crowd with excellent food (in Mt. Pleasant). It labels itself TexMex but nobody outside Texas really knows what Tex Mex is. That said, the food is great and there's fun live music and a hoppin' atmosphere.
Runner up: Visit the Old Village in Mt. Pleasant. Southern Living is always talking about Pitt St. and the Pharmacy, but you cannot go wrong with a girls' lunch at the Village Bakery on Pitt Street with a quick stop at the Out of Hand Boutique a few doors down. Great views as you walk around, great lunch stop. Part of the Dine with Sal (you can google it) chain, ALL of their restaurants are great.
So there's what I've learned. I still have a few more stops to check out, and of course, for the over 21 crowd: do not miss the experience of the roof top bars near the waterfront (i.e., Vendue Inn) for exceptional views and atmosphere. Who cares about the food.
Do a carriage tour to get a quick overview of the important history (and there are PLENTY of landmarks if you are so interested) and if you are there between May and October on a Wednesday night, enjoy the Wine Strolls for phenomenal value out at Middleton Plantation. Uberesque Charleston views and atmosphere there.
That is what I learned in Charleston! Have a strange feeling you may not see such a list after our time in Mongtgomery, AL but that's OK. We will all be together for a year and that's so great for us right now as a family. Cheers :)
