The South flies under the haute culinary radar but the rewards are proving to be worth the adventure. Restaurants like McCrady’s and Radius 10 (Nashville) are quietly developing a modern regional identity – borrowing from Alinea and WD-50′s it-could-be-anywhere cuisine – but retaining a southern flare and finish. And what better place than in the south where the hospitality runs circles around even the most expensive European restaurants?

To get it out of the way, McCrady’s blew my socks off. My expectations were high – Opinionated About raved about the restaurant last October, various online fora reports were exceedingly positive, and I knew Chef Brock moved in circles whose food I respected. In terms of “wanting to return”, only Manresa and Urasawa would rank higher than McCrady’s right now (in the US, that is.) Yes, it was that good ¹.

The restaurant is a study in layers and contrasts – old and new – yet manages to incorporate it into something unique – “a sense of place” as Chef Brock says he is trying to achieve. The building sets a grand stage – built in the 1700s, it sprawls up, down, in, out, and around what seems like most of a city block – picture the Gangs of New York opening scene. With this setting, he could play alchemist or scientist, and both, as you’ll read, could be appropriate descriptions. The chemicals and laboratory equipment is rumored to be stockpiled in the back (I did not visit the kitchen) but the garden, and soon the animals, share the focus. An older, presumably conservative crowd, chows down on molecular food in a historic American city. The whole scene can be a bit incongruous at first.

I had read of the experimental nature of the food but it was the chef’s commitment to growing his own food, chronicled on his blog since last fall, that had me most intrigued. And here again we have this great juxtaposition – molecular chef and farmer. I don’t have the historical knowledge of Brock’s cuisine but I suspect the ingredients are fascinating him more than the chemicals these days. In fact, besides Kinch (whom Brock holds in very high regards) and Urasawa, I don’t know if there is anyone in the US that is as obsessed about the ingredients in their food. It borders on the fetishistic – which is perfectly fine in my book.

I would have given a full blow by blow of the food but I did my best Anthony Bourdain impression and got sufficiently hammered. Most of the dishes are pictured below and I’ll expound on them and the general themes they played into. I’ve included the full tasting menu after the post ².

Charcuterie

Home-made charctuerie and butter are presented in the beginning. Farm to table – and all points in-between. Travis Grimes, a sous chef, prepares the charcuterie from Caw Caw Creek milk-fed pigs. The plan is to begin raising the pigs on the farm – feeding them vegetable scraps, heavy cream, and peanuts. Might I also suggest acorns? This was a nice beginning with liberal spicing – a theme throughout the meal.

Cherokee Purple, Olive Oil, Housemade Ricotta
The charcuterie was excellent but these tomatoes made me pause – the vegetable garden was certainly no vanity project. The tomatoes were intense, bursting with acidity and sweetness, among the best I’ve ever eaten. They may have been compressed, given the concentration of flavor. Ingredients and technique – coaxing the best attributes out of the flavors.

Zucchini, Meyer Lemon, Yoghurt, Local Shrimp
The lemon tinge, on the edge of being too acidic, balanced the sweetness and creaminess of the other ingredients. You couldn’t call it bombastic but it was clear the chef would not shy away from well-balanced big flavors – the spicing in the charcuterie, the intensity of the tomatoes, and the lemon in this dish.

Poached Scallop, Fresh Coriander Berries, Mango Vinegar
This was just a beautiful dish that hit every button for me. The scallops were cooked sous vide in olive oil and presented in a modern style. Again, some strong flavors that were quite balanced. A Manresa-quality dish – sublime (I haven’t used this word in awhile Denise.)

Tuna, Miso Broth, Ramp Kimchee
At first, it might sound like another Asian fusion cliche but the ramp kimchee gave the dish a powerful, unique jab. The tuna quality was very high.

Coconut, Curry, Arctic Char Roe
I mentioned earlier that the chef ran in interesting circles and I would speculate this dish was born out of collaborative discussions. I first encountered a roe/ice cream dish while eating at Ideas in Food. The textural and taste contrasts are nothing short of genius – the pop of roe mixed with the creaminess of ice cream, followed by the salty and sweet interplay.

Ideas in Food Sourdough Ice Cream w/ Arctic Char Roe from Keyah Grande meal in Jan 2007.

Oyster, Ham Consommé, Cornbread
It would be hard to find a more haute southern dish than this – the mix of the oyster’s brininess and the consomme’s saltiness provided the backbone of the dish. Brock takes his ham seriously (can you say Alan Benton?) and I suspect it finds its way into more dishes than I realized.

Wreckfish, Corn, Beans, Black Truffle
At long last, the Tennessee truffle – almost. My search is not over yet – these were Perigord black truffles via Tennessee via Australia. Tom Michaels, the Tennessee truffle guy, worked with an Australian farmer, where the weather was perfect, for the truffles in this dish. I was very skeptical when I heard of “the Tennessee truffle” but these (Australian) examples were abundantly fragrant. They were 80-85% of the best truffles I had in France two years ago.

Beef Short Rib, Spin Rossa, Pickled Morels, Smoked Hollandaise

Jamison Lamb, Farro, Carrots from our Garden, Merguez
How seriously does Chef Brock take his garden? He’s harvesting his own farro! The lamb was among the better specimens I’ve had in the States – full of flavor.

Trefoil Cheese, Smoked Grapes ,Saba

Lemon, White Chocolate, Local Berries

Were there any regrets? Yes. Admittedly, I did not do my proper research before arriving. If I had, I would have absolutely requested his uni ice cream and foie gras pound cake!

McCrady’s is not a secret, particularly after Chef Brock was nominated for a James Beard award; but it could be called a treasure. As I mentioned earlier, my want to return is quite high. If I were making a top 10 US list, it would easily rank. If someone asked where they could go to experience something special and unique (in the US), it would make the top 5 list. And the restaurant should only get better. Why? The entire restaurant, and seemingly every employee, has bought into Brock’s vision – you can hear their excitement every time they talk to you – you can’t force, or buy, that kind of morale. It is also just Brock’s first year farming the garden; obviously, he should get better with each passing year. The Europeans have discovered Manresa but it won’t be long before Charleston becomes a stop on their culinary itineraries.

“It’s in the middle of nowhere” (in culinary terms of course) is an oft-heard complaint. It’s really not. One could make an excellent food trip with a few hours of driving each day. An example itinerary could be: Bacchanalia in Atlanta (on my to-do list), a 4 hour drive to Radius 10 (Nashville), 3 hours to Blackberry Farm (Walland, TN; I’ve been assured it’s much improved since my visit), 6 hours to McCrady’s, 5 hours to Skylight Inn (Ayden, NC) for the country’s best BBQ (as says my BBQ-loving friend), and 4.5 hours ending at Minibar (DC). Town House Grill (Chilhowie, VA), with Alinea and Tru alumni, could also be an option. And the south can be serious fun. In fact, I may be so inclined to take such a trip later this year, McCrady’s being the centerpiece, of course.

- chuck

1 – Chef Brock and I have exchanged emails and messages through various online circles. I let him know I was coming in for dinner. We even shared a few drinks afterwards. None of this changes my high opinion of the food.

2 – The Full Menu

A Tasting of our Charcuterie
Charentais Melon from the Garden, Benton’s Ham, Balsamic
Cherokee Purple, Olive Oil, Housemade Ricotta
Zucchini, Meyer Lemon, Yoghurt, Local Shrimp
Poached Scallop, Fresh Coriander Berries, Mango Vinegar
Coconut, Curry, Arctic Char Roe
Tuna, Miso Broth, Ramp Kimchee
Beets, Strawberries, Hazelnuts
Oyster, Ham Consommé, Cornbread
Wreckfish, Corn, Beans, Black Truffle
Foie Gras Bacon, Pain Perdue, Blis Maple, Apple Butter
Suckling Pig, Dates, Turnips
Beef Short Rib, Spin Rossa, Pickled Morels, Smoked Hollandaise
Jamison Lamb, Farro, Carrots from our Garden, Merguez
Trefoil Cheese, Smoked Grapes ,Saba
Lemon, White Chocolate, Local Berries
Chocolate, Cocoa Crisps, Mascorpone
Petit Fours