The Ordinary / Charleston, South Carolina

New York is known to always have a new restaurant popping up on every corner, but what about Charleston, South Carolina? Every time I visit Charleston there are at least 5 new places on King Street since my last visit or a new restaurant written up in Southern Living. In what feels like a few months, there’s a new “it” restaurant in town, and it is as good as you’ve heard.

 

The Ordinary is Charleston's new “fancy seafood and oyster bar." Mike Lata is the award-winning chef and owner of The Ordinary and longstanding Charleston restaurant FIG (Food Is Good). His new restaurant is located on Northern King Street in an old bank building from 1927. What I love about The Ordinary's design is the high 22-foot ceilings, balcony and bank vault door. The large oyster bar is also a great touch and looks like the perfect date spot for oyster lovers like me.

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What To Order?

Raw Oysters, clearly. 

They have selections from the West Coast and East Coast and varietals vary by the season. Our favorites are the East coast because they are larger, saltier and grimier than the creamy West Coast oysters.

{We love oysters so have found over favorites by trial and error, but if you're unsure of what you like, check out this guide!}

Oyster Sliders

This dish has been written up a few times and I can see why. They are great mix of unusual flavors like pineapple, pickled cabbage, sriracha hot sauce and cilantro with a fried oyster.

Black Bass en Papillote, Fennel, Sauce Mousseline

Our table ordered a few dishes and passed them around. This seafood dish was by far our favorite even over the whole fish which we normally love. The fish was cooked in parchment paper to keep it moist and topped with a creamy hollandaise like sauce. 

 

Been to The Ordinary? Share your favorites below!