The Truth In Beef
Charleston, South Carolina
Cuisine Style: Steakhouse
Average Price: $$$$
Overall Rating: 5/5
Dined in: April 2014
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Executive Chef:
Demetre Castanas
Proprietor / Manager:
Nicholas Palassis
The "Truth in Beef" title for this review, and logo for the restaurant represents the best when it comes to eating steak in an American steakhouse, and I’m talking about aged Prime Beef. This means that each beef cut has been verified 100% to be of USDA Prime quality, and aged. Grill 225 at the Market Pavilion Hotel in downtown Charleston is such a place. 42 days on all beef cuts, with the exception of their center cut New York strip, which is aged for 50. Match that with the fact that they are rated as one of the top ten steakhouses in America, a good wine list, and their Nitrotini bar, Charleston's only cocktail infused with liquid nitrogen, where the glasses are delivered smoking cold. You're in for one hell of a night.
Menu:
- Starters
- Salads
- Chilled Seafood
- Maine Lobster Family Style
- Seafood Entrees
- Prime Steaks and Chops
- Steak Additions
- Specialties
- Family Style Sides
- Desserts
It is a real shame that Charleston is bypassed by American critics and food lovers for bigger cities such as New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, and Atlanta. They really don’t know what they're missing, and Grill 225 is one among many they need to try. When my daughter and I visited, the valet took care of the vehicle, and thank god it was offered because if you have ever been to downtown Charleston, street parking is impossible. There is a parking deck three blocks away if you want to walk in the humid weather. The dining room is near the front entrance to the hotel, and you have to go through a long hallway with tables and booths on either side if you’re a hotel guest and want to reach the front desk and the restrooms. The bar and a large glass enclosed wine cellar with a movable ladder were to the left of the entrance and were very impressively and elegantly designed.
Once seated, we were given the menu’s which were extremely large by the way; I had to be careful not to knock over any of the glasses on the table while looking at it. Our lead server Ryan and back server Jessica introduced themselves to us and gave us a complimentary glass of Champagne to start. Their uniforms were neat, pressed, and professional, a white jacket labeled 225 and tie. As my daughter and I reviewed the menu and enjoyed our Champagne, (which I allowed my daughter to have as she was underage) I ordered a bottle of Barolo Pio Cesare, which is a 100% Nebbiolo grape vintage from Piedmont. Sourced from family owned vineyards in Serralunga d'Alba (Ornato), Grinzane Cavour (Gustava), La Morra (Roncaglie), and Barolo -Novello (Ravera). Vinification is in stainless steel tanks, with skin contact for about 20 days. According to the winemaker, it is a classic Barolo, with excellent structure and harmony, mild tannins and balanced fruit. It is immediately approachable, but it has a very long aging potential. Aged in mid toasted French oak for 3 years: 70% in 20 to 50 hectoliters casks; 30% in barriques. The wine regulatory agency is certified under the Denominazione di OrigineControllata e Garantita. Their menu had a listing of 2009, but the cellar was out, and I had 2011, which in my opinion was just as good as 2009. Ryan also asked to decant the bottle, which was a nice touch to be asked instead of asking.
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| Ryan decanting the Barolo |
After spending the time looking at the menu my daughter and I decided to break it down into four courses. The amuse was an Ahi tuna tower, wonderfully decorated and garnished with scallions. The bottom layer was rice, followed by an avocado puree, then jumbo lump crab meat, and topped with the Ahi tuna and more scallions; A wonderful presentation. The bread basket consisted of five varieties including a focaccia, rosemary bread, sesame seed, pretzel roll, and butter.
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| Ahi tuna tower |
Our reservations were semi-early around 7 pm, but the restaurant was filling up fast, and it was still a weekday, making this one of the hot spots for downtown. For the first course, my daughter had the shrimp brûlée, served in an oval white dish with baked jumbo shrimp tossed in garlic butter, Italian bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese. I barely got to taste it, before my daughter threatened me with bodily harm.
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| Baked jumbo shrimp |
For my first course, which I really enjoyed letting my daughter try since we have a simple rule when going out to restaurants, I taste what she orders, and she tastes what I order. I had the foie gras, pan seared with Drambuie syrup, caramelized pear slices and balsamic onions. It was to die for, and the first time my daughter had ever tried duck liver. Surprisingly she liked the flavor, and thought it was a little bitter; of course, I didn’t tell her what it was until after she ate it. She got mad at me, lol.
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| Pan seared foie gras |
Other starter courses on the menu you can choose from include oyster Rockefeller, Lowcountry blue crab chowder, fried lobster tail, and artisan cheeses. There is also a section of eight separate chilled seafood starters most of which are market priced based on the catch. The second course was salads, and I wanted to try the one that Ryan had recommended since it was grown locally, and organic called the Yonges Island mesclun salad, with organic greens, chopped pecans, tomatoes and ginger soy vinaigrette, very tasty.
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| Mesclun salad |
My daughter is addicted to Caesar salad. I try to break her out of her shell when it comes to greens, but I should be thankful that she is eating salads, to begin with. So I was happy when she went with the B.L.T. which had romaine and iceberg lettuces, cut chiffonade style which means you either roll them up into a tight ball and julienned slice it, or leave the lettuce flat to slice, so the knife doesn’t bruise it. The salad also came with diced tomatoes, smoked bacon, red onion, candied walnuts, and a cranberry vinaigrette. Their other salad selections included an arugula (rocket) salad, Caesar, and iceberg wedge to name a few.
For entrée’s, they had a combination of several items with their prime steaks being the highlight from cuts like New York, filet, ribeye, and their famous lamb chops. The Specialty items included veal parmesan, and Roma tomato pie, along with their vegetarian selection, and seafood from swordfish, to 3, 4, or 5-pound lobsters. Being in the South, it would be considered a crime if you didn’t have Lowcountry items, so yes shrimp and grits are on the menu. But we were at a prime steakhouse, one of the top ten in the nation, so though seafood sounded good, we were eating some prime USDA. My Daughter had their Filet Mignon, aged for the 42 days, eight-ounce portion. They also have a ten and fourteen ounce if you’re really hungry. She also ordered a side of Au Poivre sauce, which is one of ten sauce selections you can get with your entrée. I tried her sauce with my steak and thought it was a little bland, but still good. For her side which is served family style in a separate plate was the broccoli parmesan, one of sixteen sides that were available to order.
For those who are super hungry, there is a section for additions to the entrée consisting of goat cheese, southern style pimento cheese, crab cakes, lobster tail, king crab and much more. One bad habit that my daughter does that she gets from her mother and that I have tried to break, thus far with no success, is how she likes her steak to be cooked. Always medium well to well, It kills me. It was also killing me that her steak was $40.00 on top of it, so I mentioned to Ryan without my daughter knowing to have it cooked medium, HA!!! With my order, I went for the gusto, the 18-ounce prime ribeye, medium rare of course, with a great tasting béarnaise sauce, and a side family style of the Hen of The Woods mushrooms, labeled on the menu as baked heirloom mushrooms en croûte (encrusted).
Dessert:
After slowly enjoying the entrée’s, filling up faster than we thought, it was time to relax a little bit, and enjoy some coffee before the fourth and final dessert course was to come. The restrooms seemed miles away as I had just finished the entire bottle of wine, and the main challenge was not running into a table. Yes, coffee and dessert would sober me up nicely, considering I didn’t feel like wrecking my BMW. Luckily I sober up fast, and the amount of food we had eaten was killing all intoxicating agents in my body anyway. So I enjoyed a coffee, while my daughter had a cappuccino, and then we shared both the baklava dessert and the classique Napoleon. A perfect ending to a perfect meal, and one I hope to repeat one day.
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| Classique Napoleon |
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other Noteworthy Steakhouse Articles & Restaurants:
5A5 Steak Lounge Modern Japanese steakhouse with chic design in San Francisco, California
Council Oak Steakhouse Upscale eatery with butchery at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida
Fleming’s Steakhouse High-end steakhouse chain (65+) with aged prime cuts, reviewed in Akron, Ohio
Fogo de Chão Upscale Brazilian chain with 49 locations. Review based in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia
Frevo Restaurant Authentic churrascaria-style dining at the Fairmont on Palm Island, Dubai, UAE
Halls Chophouse Esteemed old-school steakhouse with gospel brunch in Charleston, South Carolina
Oak Steakhouse High-end elegant steakhouse with sustainable seafood in Charleston, South Carolina
Stonewood Grill and Tavern Stylish chophouse chain with surf ’n’ turf; reviewed in Brandon, Florida
Sunset Terrace A classic outdoor American chophouse at Omni Grove Park Inn, in Asheville, North Carolina
Waterfront Restaurant Steakhouse restaurant on inlet offering Gulf views in Sarasota Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Charleston restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
|
Acclaimed high-concept inspired Farm to Table tavern
A top 20 on Wine Dine and Play
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
A classy southern seafood eatery house
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Dessert shop with Southern treats, and praline
Charleston, Savannah, Atlanta
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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10
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10
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0
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Food quality
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10
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10
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0
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Plate presentation
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9
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9
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0
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Customer service
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10
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10
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0
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Alcohol and other beverages
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9
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8
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1
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Total regular points awarded
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48
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47
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1
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Total percentage Before Bonus
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0.979166666666667
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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3
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0625
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Total percentage with a bonus for the final star rating
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1.04166666666667
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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5
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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5 of 5 Stars:
104% Rating with a 3 point “wow” bonus
An Extraordinary Dining Experience
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Wine List:
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Wine rating:
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7 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain
New World selections:
Argentina, Australia, California, Chile, China, New Zealand, Oregon, South Africa, Washington State
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Conservative to Semi-formal dining
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Cuisine Style:
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American, Steakhouse
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Gluten Free, Grass Fed, Local, Low Carb, Organic, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Business casual or Smart casual attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Contemporary, Business parties, Hotspot, Great bar, Good for special occasions, Intimate, Classy, Upscale, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Valet
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium to Loud
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant
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Patio or terrace:
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No
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€€
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Alcohol prices:
$150.00 USD
Grill 225:
225 E Bay Street
Charleston, SC
29401
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 843-723-0500
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Online reservations
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Website Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Mon-Sun
11:30 am - 110:00 pm
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
|
Taste of tribal Zimbabwe cuisine
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
|
Vibrant Pan-Indian Cuisine
Colnbrook, Slough, Berkshire, England, UK
|
Stylish modern Spanish and global cuisine
Dubai Creek, Dubai, UAE
|
Other Pictures:
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| Dining room pictures |
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| Bread basket |
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| Roma tomato pot pie |
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| Baklava dessert |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
