The Charleston Grill

The Charleston Grill, the flagship restaurant of Charleston Place Hotel, is equal to the finest restaurants in New York and San Francisco. The restaurant's secret is an extraordinary partnership between an outstanding, imaginative chef and one of the finest Maitre D's in the US.

Mickey, the consummate host, greets everyone at the door like a long lost friend, yet manages to seemingly be everywhere all the time. He knows everything that's going on in the restaurant. In addition, his ability to pair even obscure wines and the chef's complex and unique dishes is uncanny. Mickey finds the perfect partner to a sashimi dish with lemongrass oil and pomegranate molasses, just as he does for a duck confit with "dirty" grits.

Mickey directs his staff of waiters and bus boys like a general directing his troops, ensuring that no customer remains un-served or uncared for. He stops by every table often to check on the food and offer pleasantries. However, when his staff is busy elsewhere, he pours the wine, serves the food and clears table - a man of many talents.

Mickey also treats everyone with the same effusive enthusiasm. Last night Ian McKellen (Gandalf, for Lord of the Rings fans), a famous British TV star and their party were seated at the table next to ours, yet their service was not any different than other tables throughout the establishment.

The chef, Bob Waggoner, has been at the hotel for 11 years, amazing tenure by most chef standards. His apprenticeship in some of the finest restaurants in France shines through as he marries the best in traditional "low country" cuisine with ultra-modern creations, and remaining firmly grounded in French food traditions while blossoming into fusion and other international flavors. For example, last night, we had nseveral sauces. Among them were:

• Lemon-vermouth sauce
• Bacon-sage gravy
• Basil-lamb jus

We also had ingredients ranging from stone-ground grits and lamb chops to Hamachi, golden beets and white asparagus.

The restaurant's menu is divided into several sections: Cosmopolitan (exotic, imaginative dishes inspired by flavors found traveling the globe); Southern (contemporary interpretations of regional favorites); Pure (impressively simple dishes inspired by the clean, light flavors of the ingredients) and Lush (lavish, substantial and satisfying dishes in the French tradition of extravagance). This broad range allows Chef Waggoner to express himself without limitations of cuisine or ingredients, and the results are exhilarating.

In sum, we have been dining at Charleston Place for years, yet the chef's evolution and imagination continue to surprise us. This place is not only worth a detour - it's worth a special trip to sample a wonderful customer experience all around!