Gourmet Meal (from out in the hall)

Another from the archives, a fun review of a great restaurant inside the Charleston Marriott.
I really took some flack for this one. Apparently the Marriott folks weren't very happy at my description of our seating area or the green slurry my entree was served in.

All in all, I liked the meal and have returned several times since. Naturally, I didn't identify myself when I went, but I have had great meals each time. (I particularly recommend the weekday lunch buffet or the weekend buffet. Great quality food)

I hope you find the humor artfully hidden inside this review.


Whitewater Grille
Inside The Charleston Marriott

My Brother-in-law has come along for three of my restaurant reviews. The first time, he was in town from California and I was sure he would be impressed by a meal at The Chop House. The meal was as impressive as the size of the check. The evening later became a very favorable review in this fine magazine.

The second meal was last summer when we stopped at Applebee’s for a quick bite. I had no intention of doing a review, but the service and food stood out in such a way that I was left with no choice but to tell everyone. It ended up being a rather poor review and the only one (so far) that has resulted in threats of physical violence (some fan of Applebee’s sent some very unsavory emails).

This time it was the evening of The State of The State Address by Governor Manchin. Everyone else had plans so my Brother-in-law and I decided to have dinner and, along the way, maybe a restaurant review.

I was drawn to Whitewater Grill. I had yet to visit the new restaurant in The Marriott and after being enticed by the advertisements, voiced by Mike Agnello, on local talk radio AM580, I thought it was high time that I had my first visit.

It was when we were navigating the, filled to capacity, parking building that I realized legislators were in town and that the Governor was doing his yearly speech. What a night to choose to go to The Marriott. The place would likely be crawling with politicos, lobbyists and their seedy entourages.

We finally found a rooftop parking space and made our way to the lobby of The Marriott. It had been several years since I was in that lobby and they sure have brought it up to date. Like many Charleston teenagers I visited the lobby on a few occasions in the 1980’s hoping to catch a glimpse of some touring rock star. The place looks far better now and nothing reminded me of the gaudy interior I remember from a long time ago.

On the west end of the lobby level is the where you will find Whitewater Grille. The restaurant is entered through a non descript door and you are greeted with a small host counter and a nice view of the well lit and very attractive bar in the center of the restaurant.

We surveyed the interior and the few Whitewater related decorations and waited for someone to seat us. There wasn’t a sign, but we both assumed we were to wait to be seated.

While waiting at the door we observed that the party at the bar was in full swing. The crowd was definitely adults, almost exclusively men in suits and women in nice evening wear. It was definitely the politicians and the people that tend to be always within earshot of a politician. If only that bar could talk.

A waiter finished up tending to a nearby table, noticed us, grabbed a couple menus and invited us to follow. We were escorted across the front of the bar and right past all the nicely appointed tables that make up the front part of the restaurant. As I admired the beautiful tables bathed in nice lighting, I was even more eager to reach my table.

Unfortunately, our host kept walking and escorted us to a brightly lit area on the far side of the restaurant. We were seated at a small two seat table along a wall. This table had none of the ambiance, nice lighting or great view of the outside world afforded by the tables along the front of the restaurant. In fact, there was no view at all. We were seated beside what looked like a food service bar The wall supporting the foodservice area totally blocked us from being able to see the bar and gave the immediate area the feel of a hallway. We all know how hotels are mostly long hallways and as I was sitting there trying to absorb the menu I had the feeling that I was sitting in the hallway outside someone’s hotel room.

We could hear the people having fun at the bar, but we couldn’t see anything. It was sort of like being in detention. My immediate thought was that these “hallway” tables surely must be just for overflow, but I noted several open and ready tables in the luxurious area along the front windows. If only, I had the nerve to ask to be moved to a proper table.

In spite of my immediate hate for the tiny table, the uncomfortable chair and harsh lighting, our waiter was an instant consummate professional and got us pointed in the right direction. He quickly returned with our drink orders, he advised us of the specials and he left to give us a few minutes to ponder the seemingly enormous menu.

Speaking of the menu, it was probably half as thick as a Charleston phone book. It was heavy and upon first opening I wondered just how much food this restaurant had to offer. What I expected to be a lengthy review turned out to be a reasonable easy read because the menu is actually only 4 pages but each paper is inserted into 1/16th inch backing. I suppose that these types of menu holders make a nice presentation, but it seems over the top to me.

The menu is broken up into sections paying homage to the Whitewater theme of the restaurant. Appetizers are called “Check In”. Salads and soups are “The Put In” and “Eddy Out”. Sandwiches are “Class III”, Entrees are “Class IV” and desserts round out the menu as “The Take Out”. There is also an introduction page that gives some Whitewater information.

As much as I am soon going to tell you that I liked the food, I was honestly left a bit cold by the Whitewater theme. First, it’s obviously a restaurant space in a nice hotel. There are a few kayaks on the walls and some miscellaneous small pieces from the Whitewater hobby affixed here and there, but they didn’t take the theme very far. If the Marriott decided that this space will tomorrow contain a French style bistro, it wouldn’t take more than an hour to strip Whitewater Grill of all evidence of a Whitewater theme.

I was obviously eating in a high ceiling hotel space and, while it wasn’t helped by my seating in the hallway, there was nothing in range of my eyes that made me even remotely inquisitive about the Whitewater hobby. It’s really not a complaint, but I just wasn’t moved by the theme.

While we were finishing our review of the menu, the waiter brought some rolls and two types of butter. One was a flavored butter which tasted good, but was sadly accompanied by cold rolls. I guess I am spoiled by warm bread so I would have liked something warm in the nice basket, but they were tasty nonetheless.

The decisions were reached and we summoned Florin to take our orders. My Brother-in-law started with the French onion soup. Since I had to have something to write about, I decided that I needed the “Big Three” sampler appetizer platter (see how I suffer for my art).

For our entrees, he selected the “Class V Seared Salmon”. I kept with the nautical theme and selected the “Class V Grilled Sea Bass”.

Trust me, these were difficult decisions. The menu is deep with selections and everything is described so eloquently. I wanted to try at least six or seven things. The appetizers include the expected cheese fries and shrimp cocktail, but also throws in Portobello fries, egg rolls, quesadillas and coconut shrimp. I will definitely have to sample some of those.

The salad selection is also wide. Considering that Whitewater Grill brought one of their signature salads to the Taste of Charleston, they sure must be proud of what they serve. There is a simple house salad, an iceberg wedge and a Caesar. They also offer some entrée salads including a steak and bleu cheese, a buffalo chicken an Asian and a chicken salad. That selection alone should keep salad lovers returning for multiple meals.

The sandwiches sounded almost impressive enough to keep me from ordering the Sea Bass. There is a crab cake sandwich a Reuben, a cheese steak and barbeque sandwich. The burger on the menu is just listed as “Build a Burger”. I like that. I don’t need any snazzy personalities given to my burgers. Just let me order what I want and you assemble it for me.

The entrees include the aforementioned Salmon and Sea Bass. There is also a Swordfish Parmesan and lowly Fish and Chips. I also noted a couple of steaks, some tasty sounding pasta and even a stir fry.

When you throw in a dessert menu with Jack Daniels Bread Pudding, Cheesecake, Apple Crisp, among others, you have what sure sounds like a very well rounded restaurant that is offering something to please anyone in your group.

It was truly surreal sitting at our table. We could hear the groups of people having a grand old time at the bar but we couldn’t see a damn thing. Meanwhile, we were alone in our hallway awaiting our appetizers.

My Appetizer sampler and Keith’s French Onion Soup arrived and both looked great. He reported the soup had great flavor but visually, I thought it was missing the customary large crouton and river of melting cheese, but he didn’t seem to miss it as much as my eyes did.

The sampler of appetizers included the Coconut Shrimp, boneless wings and a quesadilla. I am pretty easy to please so starting with the quesadilla, it was fantastic. Sure, it was plain, but you simply can’t beat melted cheese.

The boneless wings were a bit too spicy for me, but I promise that anyone with a normal taste for spicy wings would have loved them. The coconut shrimp was a particular treat and will lead me to get this same thing again on the next trip. These shrimp were excellent.

The plate included a trio of sauces, bleu cheese, salsa and sour cream. It was plenty of appetizer for two (and maybe three) and a perfect start to my meal.

Florin cleaned our table and soon brought our fish entrees. Keith’s Salmon arrived on a charred cedar plank with a citrus gremolata with wild rice and fresh vegetables.

My Sea Bass came looking like it was the most perfect piece of fish ever. It was sitting over wild rice and roasted peppers in an avocado broth.

Both of these entrees looked like something you would see in a world class restaurant. These were obviously cooked and plated by true Chefs. The food was arranged in a beautiful and professional way and the presentation was just about as good as it could get.

I am told the Salmon had a great flavor and was a great meal. There were absolutely no complaints from the other side of the table.

Me, well I didn’t want to touch the food art before me. The fish truly looked too good to disturb. I will make one comment about the avocado broth. The word broth led me to believe it would be a light watery sauce probably drizzled on the plate for color and effect.

The chef went in a complete different direction and the avocado broth was a thick bright green slurry and it was a quarter inch thick covering the entire bottom of the plate. The fish was an island in the middle sitting on the wild rice. The green color of the avocado broth was almost an overpowering visual and I am sure it might turn some people off, but trust me, it was fantastic.

It took only a single dip of the fork for me to determine that the avocado broth was a perfect compliment to the fish and when I was done, there was barely any evidence that it was there.

The Sea Bass was so perfectly cooked that it almost melted. It was just an entirely satisfying dish and a perfect way to round out this meal.

I have had a lot of bland and poorly cooked and presented fish here in Charleston. In fact, my experiences are primarily why I usually stick with steak. It’s just far more likely that you will get a well cooked steak. Obviously Whitewater Grill has some talented Chefs and I truly hope you let them make some fish for you.

Neither of us had room for dessert so that will have to come on another visit.

On some levels, this is an unfair review. I have only been there one time and I haven’t experienced even a tenth of what they have to offer. I know they have a lunch buffet, a burger special during the week and how can I give a fair review after only trying a single entrée? Well, I just can. The food and service was good enough that I know the other food on the menu must be of a similar caliber. If these guys can cook fish like I was given, then I am sure they do amazing things with their 12oz Ribeye or the Filet.

Sure, I made fun of my table and I am at a loss to understand why such a well thought out dining establishment would allow those silly tables in that location. Those tiny tables and crappy chairs under the harsh hallway lights have no business being used in that restaurant. If they try to sit me there again, I will definitely ask for one of the prime tables along the Washington Street windows. Or, I will sit by the bar, but I will dine safely and not speak to any politicians.

Our meal with soup, an appetizer (for two), a couple of drinks from the bar and the two fish entrees came in at $62.55. Definitely not inexpensive, but you can easily spend this amount in any of the big box franchise restaurants at Southridge, but what fun would that be. Do something different and ignore the slight inconvenience associated with parking and break your usual tendency to drive to Southridge. Enjoy downtown Charleston and eat at a restaurant that deserves to be experienced. Visit Whitewater Grill.