THE LOT

At the risk of being trite, The Lot has a lot to offer...for anyone who enjoys an expertly prepared meal, genial atmosphere and skilled waitstaff.  

Located at 1977 Maybank Hwy, James Island, next to the Pour House, and directly across from the best little movie theater in SC, The Terrace.  Could you choose a better location?  

I think not.

Our group arrived at 6:30 on a Wednesday night, and had our choice of tables.  By the time our meal arrived, every table was full of animated diners.  It was an eclectic mix, one that added to the festive mood.

The Lot is a sustainable restaurant, with each item utilized fully, snout to tail; consequently, the menu changes daily. 

Our server described each menu offering in detail- one chicken dish, one beef, two pork, one fish, and so on.  Our starter choices were varied- Pickled Vegetables (slightly crisp, thin sliced radishes were my favorite among the green beans and farro- also quite good), New England Clam Chowder, Chicken Pate' (Which, I'm sure, went hand in hand the the other parts of the chicken we would order for our meal.)and a lovely Pork Trotter Cake served beneath a creamy-yolked local fried egg.

The table favorite was the pate', served with grilled bread.  Our server was kind enough to bring us extra bread, so that not a dab of pate' was wasted.

Two of us chose the smoked Keegan Fillion Farms chicken for our main course.  Served over a bed of my favorite Geechie Boy grits, surrounded by crispy edged, braised kale, the meat was moist and full of smoky flavor- Delicious.

The other choices served at our table were Pork Croquette and Gnocchi in Bolognese meat sauce.  The first, prepared with flaky pork, was amazingly light and the second, the Bolognese Gnocchi, was quite rich.  All of our meals were prepared with a minimum of interference with their natural flavors and textures.

We finished with two perfectly portioned desserts- Toasted Hazelnut Pots de Creme and a tart and tangy Lemon Curd Pudding cup, served with a delectably buttery shortbread cookie.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the drink menu, which offers a wide variety of beer, wine, cocktails and non-alchoholic choices.  My spouse's favorite craft beer brand, Frothy Beard, a locally made and hard to find variety, was happily available.  The Palmetto Espresso Porter was also tried and enjoyed, as was a lovely, bubbly Italian Prosecco wine.  I was tickled pink to find Goya's Ginger Beer on the menu, which had a sharp bite of ginger...just the way I liked and remembered it from my youth, many years ago.

All in all, The Lot offers lots of culinary treats, tied up in a local package.  

We WILL be back.