Fleet Landing’s Lowcountry Seafood Pasta was a big hit

It has been said that misery loves company so take a few moments to read about a recent three-day experience away from home to Charleston and back. It was supposed to be part work and part pleasure, especially the sights, sounds, and food of Charleston, but while the seaport village near the southeastern tip of South Carolina has a lot of marvelous attractions and some terrific food, this trip may have gathered nearly all of the bad stuff and plugged it into one excursion. There’s room here today to discuss food; the accommodations at the Charleston Harbor Resort can be left for another critic’s corner. (Hint: It needs a lot of attention.)

For instance, the Hominy Grill has great reputation, a very nice décor, a wait staff that’s attentive and informative, and a reputation for several great dishes including the Charleston Nasty Biscuit with fried chicken breast, cheddar cheese & sausage gravy, a dish that the waiter said would put me to sleep. Indeed it did, but my Nasty was without the cheddar cheese, and the fried chicken breast was overdone. Due to time, it was consumed, not sent back for a second try. On my next visit to Bojangles, the spicy chicken biscuit with added cheese could be smothered in the sausage gravy for a similar yet spicier experience. On the other hand, Huevos Rancheros sitting across from me were excellent. But the Bloody Mary was little in size and vodka.

At other restaurants, pass on the Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer at the Noisy Oyster because it’s too greasy. Lots of butter. If you find the highly recommended Wreck of the Richard & Charlene, tucked away in a residential neighborhood of Mount Pleasant, just order the fried shrimp with no sides. The shrimp is excellent and an ample amount but the red beans and rice was overcooked and cold; the slaw was nothing to write home about. And the seafood stew was sans seafood. At RB’s Seafood, also in Mount Pleasant, the blackened shrimp on the Caesar salad was overcooked and cold; the blackened Mahi sandwich was pretty good but the roll was substandard. Bread makes the sandwich or it can detract from the delicous ingredients within.

Fleet Landing Stuffed Hush Puppies

The best meal was the Lowcountry Seafood Pasta (Fettuccini, Shrimp, Scallops, Crawfish, Mussels, Andouille Sausage, Asparagus, Tomatoes & Creole Butter Sauce) at Fleet Landing in Charleston. It was more than an ample portion that was enough for two. And, it was preceded by the Fleet Landing Stuffed Hush Puppies (filled with a Lobster, Rock Shrimp, Leeks, & Corn over Creole Tomato Sauce). That dinner was on our last night there and was a good memory only to be destroyed when we stopped on the way home at Chacon’s in Georgetown where the fish tacos had little fish and no taste and the blackened shrimp Po’Boy include a crummy sub roll instead of something tasty and special and, again, the shrimp were over-cooked. And, from this restaurant to those in the Charleston area, it seems nearly every entrée is at least $25.00. If you want good fried seafood, try the seafood restaurant at the State Farmer’s Market in Raleigh. The shrimp luncheon special is $9.00 and more than enough for two.

--------------------

Dictionary.com word of the day

floccinaucinihilipilification (noun) [flok-suh-naw-suh-nahy-hil-uh-pil-uh-fi-key-shuh n] the estimation of something as valueless