Wine Dine and Play: Cypress Restaurant

Bolder and More Notable than the Plant

Charleston, South Carolina

Dined in June 2011

By Sean Overpeck (CFE)

UPDATE: After 16 years, Cypress will close its doors on May 28th, 2017

My first visit to Cypress was in 2010 as part of a restaurant tasting tour provided by Bulldog Tours, where the chef took us on a guided walk though of the butchery rooms, where half and whole animal caucasus were hanging. I’d been in several butcher rooms in restaurants before, but nothing to this scale. The restaurant was grand, multi level with a large wine cellar behind a wall of glass two stories high. an open air action kitchen on the ground level that you could either see from that level, or look down on from the second floor. The second level was designed so that no matter where you sat, you could get that view, or a window view looking out into downtown. I returned in 2011 for a full meal, with the hopes that the chef would thrill me as he did for the guests on the tour that day.

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Executive Chef:

Chef Craig Deihl

Main review:

Cypress is part of the Hospitality Management Group Inc., which includes two other restaurant all located next to one another on East Bay Street with a private parking lot and valet service. The restaurants are smack dab in the center of downtown and walking distance between several landmarks and tourist destinations as well as the port where large cruise ships dock. The other restaurants in the group include Blossom, and Magnolias, which was also part of the original 2010 restaurant tasting tour. Besides the large butcher freezers, chef Deihl prepared his charcuterie board for us to sample, which included how he cooked off some of the meats using a torch, while others were left cold.

Menu:

Starters
Table Side for Two
Seasonal
Main Course
Three Courses for $39
Desserts
Bar Fare

When I returned a year later it was with my daughter and brother where we found the service staff to be impeccable, and very professional with great knowledge on the menus and specials. From the menu in 2011 that we dined upon, compared to the newest menu, there are few changes, as several selections were staple classics that locals and tourist enjoyed alike. The newer menu replaced the tuna tartare with a salmon tartare for example. The cheese, butcher, and charcuterie boards increased, as did more southern classics like fried green tomatoes, while the more French style cuisines from when we dined went away. Those items included portobello napoleons, pickled shrimp, and almond fried brie.

Beef in America is always king so both the older and newer menus had the filet, Beef Oscar, Steak Diane, and the Châteaubriand. The main entree courses moved away from lamb and snapper, and moved to soft shell crabs, octopus, and ribeye, while keeping classics like shrimp and andouille sausage over mustard greens.

My brother, daughter, and I enjoyed the smoked salmon Wellington over duxelle mushrooms, sautéed asparagus, gruyère potato fondue, and mustard butter, as well as the duo of beef brisket, with pickled vegetables, smoked tomato barbecue sauce, bratwurst, and sauerkraut, over creamy potatoes, and rounding up with the fried chicken.

Other Noteworthy Southern or Contemporary Favorites:

Grace 17.20 in Atlanta, Georgia

The Mill Restaurant in St. Petersburg, Florida

Café du Monde in New Orleans, Louisiana

Stella’s in Gulfport, Florida

The Floridian Restaurant in St. Augustine, Florid

Final notes and observations:

What is a restaurant review? Is one better than the other? How is the rating system broken down? Most reviews you read online are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsibly, and respectfully written, upholding the truth and accurately conveying the experience. My job is to put you at the table next to me, and to try and be objective to the best of my ability. Being impeccable with my word, never taking anything that happens at the restaurant personally, being honest in the review, never make assumptions, and to always write to the best of my knowledge is the goal. My ratings are notated by the level of stars I award (from 0 to 5). The star rating is based on the calculation and point accumulation of six separate factors with nearly seventy questions broken down by my individual experience such as wine and other beverage selection, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, plus a bonus section called the wow factor. To see more details on how I do my ratings read this article:

What Is A Restaurant Review, And Am I Any Different?

Over all from this experience, and using my rating system linked above, I give Cypress a 3 out of 5 stars, meaning that they exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.

Review basics:

5 stars	An Extraordinary Experience	94 - 100 % (105% w/ full bonuses)
4 Stars	An Outstanding Experience	87 - 93%
3 Stars	Exceeded All My Expectations	80 - 86%
2 Stars	Above the Average Experience	72 - 79%
1 Star	An Average Dining Experience	66 - 71%
No Star Rating	The Restaurant is Basic, Poor, or Appalling	65% or below

Overall Star Rating:	3 of 5 Stars: Exceeded all my expectations in a Dining Experience
Wine List:	Click here to view the restaurants wine list
Dress code:	Smart casual or Conservative attire
Cuisine style:	Contemporary, Lounge, American, Southern, & Vegetarian
Experiences:	Place for foodies, Trendy, Lounge, Business parties, Hot spot, Great bar, Good for special occasions, Beautiful décor, Intimate, Classy, Upscale, and a Neighborhood gem.

Other Charleston restaurant reviews on Wine, Dine, and Play:

McCrady’s Tavern High Concept Farm-to-Table Dining A top 100 on Wine, Dine, and Play	Hank’s Seafood Bustling clubby fish house eatery & bar	Grill 225 Ornate Top 10 American Chophouse A top 100 on Wine, Dine, and Play
High Cotton Genteel eatery with Low Country fare	Oak Steakhouse Locally sourced beef & sustainable seafood	Muse Mediterranean dishes, wine bar, villa feel
Hyman’s Seafood Enduring Seafood Eatery and Landmark	S.N.O.B Low Country Bistro with French fusion menu, local farm to table
Magnolia’s Refined upscale take on Southern dining	River Street Sweets Dessert shop with Southern treats, and praline	Halls Chophouse Elegant old school steakhouse with seafood

Cypress:

167 E Bay Street

Charleston, South Carolina

29401

Contact Information:

Restaurant website:	Cypress
Serving hours: Eastern Standard Time (GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)	Restaurant is Permanently Closed
Social Media & Accolades:	Facebook link
	Twitter @CypressRest
	YouTube
	Instagram

The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list based on who is writing about them, and it changes on a regular basis. My list of best reviewed restaurants here on Wine, Dine, and Play is based on a rating number at 4 to 5 stars. From the 300 + published reviews as of summer 2017, less than 15% hold that prestigious ranking, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. I have dined at restaurants on five continents from cafés, chains, and fine dining to include some of best rated world Michelin locations. Here is my list, and it includes some mom and pops + holes in the wall.

Wine, Dine, and Play’s Favorites

Brick and Mortar Rustic New American Fare Saint Petersburg, Florida USA	Tetsuya’s Eclectic French-Asian Tasting Menu Sydney, Australia	The Test Kitchen Modern Eclectic African Cuisine Woodstock, South Africa
Aubergine Innovative East Meets West Menu Cape Town, South Africa	Qui Restaurant Modern Upscale Global Plates (Now Called Kuneho by Paul Qui) Austin, Texas, USA	Restaurant Le Gabriel Classic French Gastronomique Bordeaux, France
Vue de Monde Elegant Fine Australian Dining Melbourne, Australia	Constantia Uitsig La Colombe Chic Country-Style Vineyard Restaurant Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa	Zuma Hip Asian-Fusion Dubai, UAE
Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire Posh French + A Culinary Experimentalism Festival City, Dubai, UAE	La TABLE de Joël Robuchon Haute French Cuisine Paris, France	Alinea American-Global Molecular Menu Chicago, Illinois, USA
Quay Quintessential Modern Australian Cuisine Sydney, Australia	Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud Impeccably Acclaimed French Cuisine Dublin, Ireland	The French Laundry French-American Fine Dining Yountville, Napa, California, USA
At.mosphere High Rise Fine Global Dining, Highest Restaurant In The World Dubai, UAE	The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français Contemporary, African-Inspired Tasting Journey Franschhoek, South Africa	Commanders Palace Upscale Creole Fare New Orlean’s, Louisiana, USA
Attica Inventive Eclectic Tasting Menus Ripponlea, Melbourne, Australia	Leopard Hills Lodge Safari + Upscale African Cuisine Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa	Rioja Creative Mediterranean Cuisine Denver, Colorado, USA
Mr. Todiwala’s Kitchen Vibrant Pan-Indian Cuisine Slough, United Kingdom	Cook'n' With Gas Bistro High-End New Zealand Fare & Bistro Christchurch, New Zealand

So many great wines in this world, here are a few boutiques, cult wines, and favorites:

Meerlust Wine Estate Rubicon A 1756 Estate Famed Rubicon Blend Stellenbosch, South Africa	Hoopes Vineyard Big, Bold, Cult Cabernets Oakville, California, USA
Jonata Winery Screaming Eagles Sister Santa Barbara, California, USA	Yarra Yering Agincourt, Waterloo, Salamanca Yarra Valley, Australia
Penner Ash Wine Cellars Boutique Producers of Pinot Noir Willamette, Oregon	La Motte Old Huguenot Style Shiraz & Cabernets Franschhoek, South Africa
Château Lanessan A Cru Bourgeois Supérieur Cussac-Fort-Médoc, Bordeaux, France	Bergström Wines World Class Oregon Pinot Noir Willamette, Oregon
Biltmore Estate Winery 20+ Blue Ridge Handcrafted Wines Asheville, North Carolina, USA	Domaine Bertagna 13th Century Cistercian -1er Cru Les Cras Vougeot, Burgundy, France
Ghost Block Vineyards Exceptional Cult Sauvignon Blanc & Cabernets Yountville, California	Eagles Nest Winery Not Kehlsteinhaus, Exceptional Shiraz Constantia, South Africa

Reviewed by:

Sean Overpeck (CFE)

Executive Chef

Father, Husband, Wine Drinker

Restaurant nut, History and

Star Trek lover

winedineandplayblog@gmail.com

Picture below was taken at Cypress in June 2011

With my Daughter. (Ignore my cowboy hat - lol)

About Sean:

I am based out of Florida working in food service for over twenty years, and am currently with the American Embassy as the Executive Chef. Formally I have worked with groups contracting in Afghanistan, and Antarctica, also working in restaurants in and around Atlanta, Georgia prior to the wars. I have also owned a catering company and served proudly in the United States Army Food Service Program. The idea for Wine, Dine, and Play started in late 2012 after a trip to Jordan, when I was asked by friends to write down my experiences from a few restaurants, wines I tasted, and unique locations such as Petra. Since that time, I have written over 300 articles, including fifteen from the worlds top 100 lists of San Pellegrino and the Elite Travelers Guide restaurants. I have articles on exotic world locations such as Victoria Falls, and South African Safari’s; food recipes & a Grand Food Dictionary; ethnic country cuisines such as Afghan, and Peruvian; tasting tours of world cities like Charleston, Cape Town, and Dubai; and of course wine from vineyards in California, Oregon, the Carolina’s, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, with much more to see and write.

Who is John Galt?

“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,

But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”

-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)