CHARLESTON, S.C. —This year’s Palette and Palate Stroll, anticipated by locals and visitors as one of the most exciting summer evenings, will take place on Friday, July 19th from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Attendees will once again stroll through the streets of the historic city, making stops at local fine art galleries for an evening dedicated to fine art, unique cuisine and wine.

Take the Eat Local Challenge

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Ted's Butcherblock, located at 334 East Bay Street in downtown Charleston, is offering a unique option for Valentine's Day dinner this year. Skip the crowds and the expensive restaurant and bring home a gourmet four-course meal featuring best quality meat and seafood selections from the Butcher Counter at Ted's instead.
 

Food and drink are so much more than sustenance. They are memories that we make when we share them with others. What better gift to give this year than a special memory. EAT THIS! has picked a few favorites for our readers’ consideration.

The charitable organization that grants kids the biggest favors they can think of is appealing to the over-21 crowd to help them raise money for their foundation. Mt. Pleasant's Memorial Waterfront Park on Henry Hallman Boulevard will be the site for a twilight tasting of wines from the Wine Shop. Debbie Marlowe from downtown Charleston's Lockwood Drive vino merchant is prepared to bring a heckuva lot of adult grape juice to this event — more than 100 bottles' worth. Marlowe and her staff has had plenty of experience in throwing tastings like these, as the porch adjacent to the Wine Shop has been the site of weekly offerings for some time now, and the shop recently celebrated its seventeenth anniversary. Come taste dozens of wines that will include some of the favorites from previous outings, like the southern French selections (Bonjour, y'all!), the wines of Tuscany, and dry rosés from around the world.

What do you get when you put multiple, South Eastern chefs together at one event? One hell of a music festival, if you can believe it. In this case, one hell of a "Southern Ground Music and Food Festival" hosted by The Zac Brown Band and Daniel Island's Blackbaud Stadium.

By: Robin Riebman

Inventive dishes and fabulous service set Fuji Sushi Bar and Grill, in Mount Pleasant, apart from your average sushi bar.

After winding my way through a maze of a shopping center and walking through a small jumble of outdoor tables, I was caught off guard by the relatively chic décor inside Fuji Sushi. The majority of the surfaces are dark lacquered wood and the windows are covered with wooden screens and bamboo shades, yet the room seems light and cheery. The wooden shelves behind the bar create an attractive display for the generous selection of sake, wine and liquor. For sports fans or current Olympic junkies, the dining area and bar each have a flat screen TV, strategically placed in opposite corners of the restaurant. The atmosphere is casual enough for a quick lunch break, and classy enough to feel special on date night.

Take Pleasure in Charleston’s Most Celebrated Indulgences

– Southern Art Paired with Southern Food

Charleston Fine Art Dealers’ Association Presents Seventh Annual Palette and Palate Stroll - July 13, 2012

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Charleston Fine Art Dealers’ Association (CFADA) will give you a chance to find out what special ingredients make Charleston the #1 travel destination in the United States! On Friday, July 13, 2012, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., take pleasure in the historic city’s finest indulgences on the Seventh Annual Palette and Palate Stroll, an evening dedicated to fine art, unique cuisine and wine.

L.I.M.E. Local. Impromptu. Movable. Evening.

     Charleston has a variety of pop-up dining options.  Eat This! recently attended a L.I.M.E. event to see what makes Chef and L.I.M.E.-creator Renata Dos Santos’ pop-up dining event different from all the rest.   

By: Chris West

Firm rule: when I dine out, I never order "the chicken."

To me chicken is the ubiquitous home dinner protein that universally spans any and every multitude of cuisines. So when I found out that the Guerrilla Cuisine event I was about to attend was featuring chicken, I have to admit I approached the meal with a bit of trepidation. For novice foodies, Guerrilla Cuisine was one of the first underground dining experiences to hit the Lowcountry.

By:  Margaret Pitts

Growing up in Charleston and now living here as an adult, I have been very fortunate to have spent a lot of time on Wadmalaw Island, playing in the tidal creeks, fishing, learning how to enjoy the marshes, then later as an adult, I commuted and worked for several years on John's Island. These places are so unique in their flavor and so beautiful, that I find myself thrilled when I get the opportunity to spend a weekend there. Wadmalaw is less than fifteen miles from Charleston, yet I feel like I am worlds away.

By Kathleen Curry

     Brad and Jacki Mallett of Coastal Coffee Roasters (CCR) invite you to a warm, inviting cup of community and the ultimate coffee experience just off North Main in Summerville.  Jacki says life is too short to drink bad coffee, so CCR is always in pursuit of the perfect cup.  Brad adds that coffee is one beverage that crosses barriers, bringing all kinds of cultures and people of all ages together. The CCR café features coffees from all over the world, roasted and bagged locally, in a cozy atmosphere brimming with activity. It also offers free wi-fi.

By:  Margaret Pitts

     Lowcountry Local First had teamed up with Our Local Foods and Thornhill Farm to create a fantastic breakfast. Offering two options, a vegetarian plate which consisted of Our Local Foods poached eggs with sweet potato hash and Ambrose Farms asparagus, and another option served a pork plate by Our Local Foods, with fried eggs, Geechie Boy grits, chorizo, mustard greens and ranchero sauce. Both plates came with a blueberry muffin whose blend and berries were donated by Thornhill Farms and from Blue Pearl Farm strawberries.

by Chris West

Forget the balmy climate, public beaches and quaint charm that you always hear associated with why people love Charleston. While all of those are noteworthy facets of our little town, I love Charleston for a much simpler reason…