FARM-TO-FORK
Magnolias
Executive Chef: Don Drake
185 E. Bay Street
843.577.7771
An institution since 1990, Magnolias
helped ignite a culinary renaissance
in Charleston. As Magnolias began to
receive accolades from diners and critics alike, the restaurant flourished and
Charleston began to gain prominence as
one of the nation’s leading gastronomic
destinations. Today, Magnolias remains
a forerunner in upscale Southern cuisine, blending traditional ingredients
and cooking techniques with modern
flair for artful presentations. Popular
dishes include the Down South Egg
Roll stuffed with collard greens, chicken
and Tasso ham (served with red pepper
purée, spicy mustard sauce, and peach
chutney) and Shellfish over Grits with
sautéed shrimp, sea scallops, lobster,
creamy white grits, lobster butter sauce
and fried spinach.
According to Chef Don Drake, Magnolias is committed to the farm-to-fork
experience: “For us, it’s being able to
create innovative, seasonal menus that
showcase the local harvest. Asparagus,
field peas and lettuces in the spring;
sweet corn, shell beans and a variety of
tomatoes in the summer; and gourds
like pumpkins and squashes in the
late fall/winter are all examples of seasonal produce that we incorporate into
Magnolias’ dishes. We like to use more
specialty items with limited availability
such as squash blossoms and soft shell
crabs for daily/nightly specials as well.”
Magnolias completed a six-week renovation early this year and has a new
look as it approaches its 25th anniversary in 2015. The refreshed space
provides an enhanced experience
complemented by the original Southern charm for which Magnolias is best
known. “As the menu evolves with
time, it is important to us to also adjust
the design and atmosphere, providing
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