Upscale Southern Cuisine Destination or a Pretentious Destination?
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Dined in 2010 & 2011
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Pretentious is defined as making usually unjustified or excessive claims, unwarranted, or exaggerated importance, worth, or stature, and claiming that or behaving as if one is important or deserving of merit when such is not. Is this what Magnolias is? Or is it the Southern Jewel of Charleston that the tour advisors speak about? When you ask a local what restaurants would you go to when you visit Charleston, most don’t even mention Magnolias, and if they do, it is not top on the list unless you're looking for good sweet iced tea. I visited two times, so lets see if it is pretentious or just has a bad wrap.
Follow Wine, Dine, and Play:
Executive Chef:
Kelly Franz
Main review:
Magnolias 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.
My first visit to Magnolias was part of a restaurant tasting tour provided by Bulldog Tours, where they highlighted Magnolias as Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King’s favorite destination to dine in Charleston from a 1997 visit. Was this a promotion highlighted through the restaurant, or was this the place that you had to go when dining in Charleston? After all the big names and the chef’s who’s culinary creations were being talked about were Sean Brock running McCrady’s Tavern and FIG or others.
In 1990, when Magnolias opened, reports from the press say that they had “ignited a culinary renaissance” paving the way for countless other restaurants across the South. Only the individual that dines their can be the judge of that, yet we tend to listen to critics more than to our guts anyway.
As part of the tour we had a quick tasting at several restaurant, and two of them were owned by the Hospitality Management Group, Magnolias and Cypress next door. After the tour I did have a lunch at Magnolias, and then on another trip ate some small bites with some drinks at the bar.
Menu:
- Uptown Appetizers and Small Plates
- Soups and Salads
- Down south Dinners
- Sides
- Sandwiches (lunch and brunch)
- Southern Sweets
A few recommendations from Magnolias that caught my eye came from the starter menu. It has a true representation of low country cuisine with some classic pimento cheese served with flatbread. It is one of the better ones that I have had, but lacked the kick of spice that I believe really makes a good pimento spread worth eating.
The Down South Egg Roll stuffed with collard greens, chicken, and Tasso ham, was very flavorful however and the red pepper purée, spicy mustard sauce, and peach chutney introduced middle asian and African style flavor profiles to the dish that excited my palette. Then ending with Spicy shrimp and sausage with Tasso gravy, and creamy white grits. I love shrimp and grit dishes, and when you visit Charleston, each restaurant tries to out do the other by making their version of the famous low country dish.
For entrees there is not a large or true southern selection unlike the starters which is fantastic and diverse with low country favorites. Besides the bourbon fried catfish, pulled pork, and shellfish & grits, the remaining menu is standard to classic or modern American fair. Examples of this include the pan roasted duck breast served with blackened green tomatoes, arugula, sweet corn relish, feta cheese, and warm bacon vinaigrette, with crispy cornbread.
Under the sides menu the smoked salmon deviled eggs with lemon, capers, and chives were awesome, and were the best deviled eggs I had in some time, matching them only to the awesome selection of deviled eggs that Z Grill in Saint Petersburg, Florida offered.
Overall when it came down to choosing a favorite from the restaurant tour and sitting down to have a full meal and returning later for small bites between Cypress, Carolina’s Restaurant, Magnolias, and S.N.O.B, I chose to visit Cypress a third time over all the others. Is Magnolias pretentious? I don’t think so, but I do believe that with all the positive media they have had, it has gotten to their heads, and they could focus more on what the people want versus the critics.
Dessert:
A mixture of north and south, but not as exciting as the John Jakes Book of the same name. They have a southern pecan pie, and a cream cheese brownie, but cater to the out of towner instead of the local with a creme brûlée and a trifle which does for the first time to me scream pretentious 1980, instead of authentic southern classic delights, but thats just me.
Other Noteworthy Southern Favorites:
The Lobby at Twelve Bar and Bistro at Atlantic Station, Atlanta
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:
Over all from this experience, and using my rating system linked above, I give Magnolias a 2 out of 5 stars, meaning that they exceeded my basic expectations and were above the average dining experience of most restaurants.
Review basics:
5 stars
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An Extraordinary Experience
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94 - 100 % (105% w/ full bonuses)
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4 Stars
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An Outstanding Experience
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87 - 93%
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3 Stars
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Exceeded All My Expectations
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80 - 86%
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2 Stars
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Above the Average Experience
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72 - 79%
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1 Star
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An Average Dining Experience
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66 - 71%
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No Star Rating
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The Restaurant is Basic, Poor, or Appalling
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65% or below
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Overall Star Rating:
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2 of 5 Stars:
An Above the Average Dining Experience
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Wine List:
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Corkage fee’s:
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The 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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Casual, to Conservative dining
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Reservations:
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Not Required, But Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Business casual, Smart casual, or Conservative attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a child’s menu or cater to them; however for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended for children not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette. If not then
Hire a Babysitter!
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Cuisine style:
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Contemporary, Modern, American, Southern, Organic, & Vegetarian
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Trendy, Business parties, Romantic, Great bar, Good for special occasions, Beautiful décor, Great brunch, Intimate, Classy, Upscale, and a Neighborhood gem.
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Payments:
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Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Valet, or Private lot
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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
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant
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Patio:
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No
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Other Charleston, South Carolina restaurant reviews on Wine, Dine, and Play:
|
High Concept Farm-to-Table Dining
A top 100 on Wine, Dine, and Play
|
Bustling clubby fish house eatery & bar
|
Ornate Top 10 American Chophouse
A top 100 on Wine, Dine, and Play
|
|
Genteel eatery with Low Country fare
|
Locally sourced beef & sustainable seafood
|
Mediterranean dishes, wine bar, villa feel
|
|
Enduring Seafood Eatery and Landmark
|
Low Country Bistro with French fusion menu, local farm to table
|
Innovative, upscale, contemporary cuisine
|
|
|
Dessert shop with Southern treats, and praline
|
Elegant old school steakhouse with seafood
|
Magnolias:
185 East Bay Street
Charleston, South Carolina
29401
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 843 937 4012
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Online reservations
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Lunch: Mon-Sat
11:30 am - 3:45 pm
Brunch: Sunday
10:00 am - 3:30 pm
Dinner: Mon-Sun
3:45 pm - closed
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Email or webpage contact:
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
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.
|
Rustic New American Fare
Saint Petersburg, Florida USA
|
Eclectic French-Asian Tasting Menu
Sydney, Australia
|
Modern Eclectic African Cuisine
Woodstock, South Africa
|
|
Innovative East Meets West Menu
Cape Town, South Africa
|
Modern Upscale Global Plates
Austin, Texas, USA
|
Classic French Gastronomique
Bordeaux, France
|
|
Elegant Fine Australian Dining
Melbourne, Australia
|
Chic Country-Style Vineyard Restaurant
Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa
|
Hip Asian-Fusion
Dubai, UAE
|
|
Upscale Creole Fare
New Orlean’s, Louisiana, USA
|
Haute French Cuisine
Paris, France
|
American-Global Molecular Menu
Chicago, Illinois, USA
|
|
Quintessential Modern Australian Cuisine
Sydney, Australia
|
Impeccably Acclaimed French Cuisine
Dublin, Ireland
|
French-American Fine Dining
Yountville, Napa, California, USA
|
|
High Rise Fine Global Dining, Highest Restaurant In The World
Dubai, UAE
|
Contemporary, African-Inspired Tasting Journey
Franschhoek, South Africa
|
Posh French + A Culinary Experimentalism
Festival City, Dubai, UAE
|
|
Inventive Eclectic Tasting Menus
Ripponlea, Melbourne, Australia
|
Safari + Upscale African Cuisine
Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa
|
Creative Mediterranean Cuisine
Denver, Colorado, USA
|
|
Vibrant Pan-Indian Cuisine
Slough, United Kingdom
|
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:
|
A 1756 Estate Famed Rubicon Blend
Stellenbosch, South Africa
|
Big, Bold, Cult Cabernets
Oakville, California, USA
|
|
Screaming Eagles Sister
Santa Barbara, California, USA
|
Agincourt, Waterloo, Salamanca
Yarra Valley, Australia
|
|
Boutique Producers of Pinot Noir
Willamette, Oregon
|
Old Huguenot Style Shiraz & Cabernets
Franschhoek, South Africa
|
|
A Cru Bourgeois Supérieur
Cussac-Fort-Médoc, Bordeaux, France
|
World Class Oregon Pinot Noir
Willamette, Oregon
|
|
20+ Blue Ridge Handcrafted Wines
Asheville, North Carolina, USA
|
Domaine Bertagna
13th Century Cistercian -1er Cru Les Cras
Vougeot, Burgundy, France
|
|
Exceptional Cult Sauvignon Blanc & Cabernets
Yountville, California
|
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
Picture below was taken in Philadelphia at the
Liberty Bell on July 4, 2014
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
TTFN
