Thai One On

Y'all know that I really like Publico. I've told you that. But, it's been a while since we've been there. Yesterday was my birthday.  So, the three of us decided to continue the celebration of me by having lunch at our favorite neighborhood joint today.  

I got there thinking that I'd order the Classic Carnitas and the Sambol Fish taco.  Like I usually do. But once there, I thought, "no, I'm going to try something new this time."  I chose the Thai Shrimp Burger. 

Shrimp burger with fresh cut fries

 So, this is a burger made of giant chunks of shrimp.  This is significant because too often restaurant dishes really skimp on the shrimp.  The burger is served on a fresh bun with red onion relish that is delicious. There's also a Thai peanut sauce and orange sesame aioli.  It's a very flavorful and successful fusion of tastes.  I could only eat half of it though; it's a big sandwich. I definitely recommend this one!

Neil decided on the burrito du jour, the "Wingerito."  It was stuffed with pulled chicken with a chipotle wing sauce, brown rice, lettuce and black beans.  It was really yummy.  Of course, Neil had them also jam as many jalapenos as they could fit into it. Many of you know that Neil's heat addiction knows no bounds.  He's constantly on a quest for what he considers hot and it's rarely what others can even tolerate. Today he sampled a coconut Ghost pepper sauce and admitted "it's hot."  That says a lot.

Now, the Vivver decided on her "usual," the Crunchy Avocado taco.  Can I tell you how much I love that my kid has an avocado taco as her "usual?"  

The Crunchy Avocado

 It also never hurts to start off with guac and queso.  The chips are always warm and salty.  The guac is creamy and the queso, well, what's not to love about melty cheese? 

Publico has completed their back porch/deck area. Today they had some astro-turf out with hula hoops, cornhole and a baby pool in the parking lot.  I'm not sure if this was special for the holiday weekend, or if this is a new fixture.  And, since the last time I was there, they've added brunch. Check out the menu here. Enjoy!

My new Favorite Restaurant: Publico

 

Once upon a time, Neil and I ate out all the time.  We weren't parents then.  Yes, parenthood has a tendency to curtail a lot of that spontaneous eating out.  But needless to say, I'll take my baby girl over a good steak any day!  

You all may remember how long time culinary citizen Garibaldi's suddenly closed up shop.  I think with something like a whopping 24 hour notice to their employees. I know I was shocked when I heard.  Just a few months before, Neil had taken our daughter there for a daddy-daughter date night and made a fan out of her. Then, they were gone. 

If you have been paying attention, that building has been under construction lately.  Lots of activity over there and then the sign went up.  Publico. Hmmm!  What could it be? What will it be like?  What can we expect? 

Neil and I decided to head over there on New Year's Eve for lunch.  He had already stopped in one day last week for a beer and tried their bacon-wrapped jalapenos and was impressed. He told me about the menu, which I pulled up online and out the door we went.

Neil is in a happy place

Publico's menu features a large selection of specialty tacos with an emphasis on Asian flavors.  Example? How about a Bahn Mi taco: crisp pork belly, jalapeno, cucumber, carrot & daikon.  Or, what about a Pad Thai taco or Avocado Crunch? Wait, there's more!  How does a burger made from ground chuck, brisket and short rib grab you?  Of course, you may opt for a Carne Asada puffy taco (remember that episode of "Beat Bobby Flay"?) or a Korean influenced tostada?


Neil and I opted for their special, which is 5 tacos and 2 sides. Our plan was to share so we could get a good sampling of the menu.  

Isn't that beautiful?

We chose the Plum Chicken, Sambal Fish, Cilantro-Lime Shrimp, Classic Carnitos and Bahn Mi taco.  For sides, we chose the Mexican street corn and edamame.  Simply put, this food was awesome.  Man, I don't even know where to begin...

Plum Chicken Taco

 I think the Plum Chicken was my favorite. The chicken is nicely seasoned and the plum sauce gives it a little something extra, without adding too much sweetness. It's dressed with a bok choy slaw, the plum sauce and black beans.  

Sambal Fish Taco

Neil's vote goes to the Sambal Fish, which I am a fan of too.  The fish is tempura fried: nice and light. The sambal aioli is awesome and the pickled red onion and kim chi give this taco crunch and tang.  

Bahn Mi Taco

I liked the Bahn Mi a lot but think it may need a little more zip to it; perhaps just a little more of the red pepper aioli. But, I loved the crispy pork belly and crunchy vegetables. 

Classic Carnitos Taco

The Classic Carnitos was also high on our list.  Smoky, pulled pork with jalapeno, guac, pico...delicious.  My least favorite was the shrimp. I expected more flavor from the cilantro and lime but found it rather bland.  But, of course, I am a shrimp snob.  I would order this again, but think I'd add more chipotle crema to jack up the flavor.  

Cilantro Lime Shrimp Taco

The sides are notable too: the Mexican street corn is out of this world.  The corn was smoky, tender and spiced with chile and cheese. We are both big fans of edamame but Publico serves it with Ponzu sauce, which we had never had before.  You dip the pod in the ponzu and then pop the beans out of the pod, you know, the same way we eat boiled peanuts. I had just never thought of or seen anyone serve with ponzu.  I like it!

Ok, I know this post is long, but there's a lot to say!  Publico is just cool.  They took out the windows that overlook Greene Street and replaced them with roll up doors.  (Anyone remember Hannah Jane's?) The walls are clad in recovered wood, food is served on flat, stainless plates, like pizza pans. If you choose to sit at the bar that separates the dining room from the actual bar, note the purse hooks, A/C and USB outlets.

 Someone is quite talented at chalkboard penmanship.  I always marvel at that...how does someone not only write so artistically that big and with a stick of chalk?  We had the pleasure of having the owner, Mike, stop by our table and talk. He's new to Columbia and excited about being here.  He shared with us his experience in the restaurant business from Houston to Nashville and now here he is in Columbia. He's interested in local sourcing and creating a quality upscale casual environment. Matt was our server and he was fantastic: answered all my goofy questions without rolling his eyes (at least not in front of me!) and he really knew the menu. He and the bartender Lilly, both came by our table to check on us and we talked about the menu, their favorites, our favorites.  

The Carnage

We loved our experience at Publico and can't wait to go back.  In fact, we've already decided what we're going to try on our next trip.  Highly recommend that you check out this new addition to our culinary scene.  Mangia!

Cantina 76

When this place first opened,  Neil and I checked it out.  We enjoyed it, but I remember thinking that it wasn't exactly my favorite.  Anyway, we got busy with having a baby and all that that entails and our dining out schedule was drastically altered.  I've been back to Cantina 76 a few times with friends for drinks and a snack, but not for a proper meal.  

Yesterday, my daughter and I decided we should eat lunch out.  Since the Vivver has recently became a queso fanatic, I thought, hmmm let's try out the Cantina again.  It's a local joint, it's close to home, they have queso.  Off we went.  

First, the server informed us that margaritas for two for one, so naturally, we couldn't pass up a deal like that.  Neil ordered his on the rocks, no salt.  This is important to remember.  He hates salt on, in, or near his margarita.  Next, we ordered chips with salsa, guacamole and queso.  Let's start here.  First, the margaritas arrived and after our server left the table, I realized Neil was muttering under his breath.  Yep. you guessed it.  Salt on the rim of his glass.  

Something else to remember about Neil.  Most of the time, he doesn't want to waste time calling the waitress back over, sending it back, waiting for a new one.  Waiting is not his strong suit.  So, he wiped the salt off the glass, but still wasn't a happy muchacho about it because, as I'm sure you can imagine, some of that salt always finds its way into the drink.  ~no bueno~

Now, the appetizers were a different story.  The salsa tasted very fresh; light bright fresh tomato flavor.  It had all the usual players: onion, cilantro, garlic and it was nice and spicy too.  The guacamole really surprised me because I've come to expect restaurant guac to disappoint me because I think my homemade guac is beyond compare.  This was pretty darn good for restaurant guacamole, however.  It was seasoned well and had nice, big chunks of buttery avocado in it!  The queso was also quite good...when I could manage to slide a chip in there, as the little queso afficianada was dominating the bowl.  The chips were a little thick for my taste and seemed as though they'd been made yesterday, but not inedible by any means.

I was starving, so I ordered two tacos:  the roasted chicken ( Roasted chicken with shredded cheese, pico de gallo and southwestern ranch) and the Peruvian shrimp ( Lightly fried shrimp, sweet sesame chili sauce, topped with a jalapeño cole slaw.)  Neil had been snacking earlier in the day, so he opted for just one fish taco (Fried tilapia with pickled jalapeños and a roasted poblano tartar.)  

This was my order

Mine were both very good but I think I liked the shrimp the best.  The shrimp were crisp with a light batter and the flavors of the chili sauce were very nice together.  I didn't pick up any jalapeno at all, but the slaw was still flavorful and worked well with the sauce.  I also enjoyed the chicken but I added a touch of salt and some Cholula hot sauce.  I felt like it just needed a little extra punch of something.  And, serving the roasted chicken at a hotter temp would have improved it as well.   

Peruvian shrimp taco

Roasted chicken taco

Neil's fish taco was a little lackluster in his book.  He's a jalapeno fanatic so he always asks for heavy jalapeno and usually asks for some on the side too, because rarely does anyone really understand HOW MANY peppers he's talking about.  So, his taco was fish, peppers and the poblano tartar.  Just as an observer, I bet adding some of the slaw from the shrimp taco would have added some crunch and personality to this one.  I asked Neil how it tasted and his reply was "like it looked."  You can draw your own conclusions from that...

Fish taco for Neil

 Overall, we enjoyed our meal at Cantina 76.  I see some small adjustments in their menu items I'd make if I owned the place, but no major overhauls are needed here.  The cool thing about this restaurant is their creative taco offerings.  They remind me of the Taco Boy at Folly Beach in regard to the different and interesting tacos that are featured.  Not many other places in Columbia are thinking outside of the taco/burrito box!  

I think sometimes being a home cook (who actually enjoys cooking) can be a little bit of a curse, because you become so analytical and if you make a dish at home that you love, then rarely does a restaurant version stack up.  But, don't get me wrong...I'm not gonna quit cookin' and I'm not gonna quit going out either!  (I do make a mean shrimp taco, though, if I do say so myself.)

 

2108 Lunch Date

My friend Holly lives in Cayce.  Recently, she posted this on Facebook:
 Pay dirt!! Less than 1 mile from the crib, $2 draft HH, $3 draft anytime (decent brew selection) and the food is ooh lala! I had the collard spring rolls and Korean BBQ short rib tacos w/ jimaca slaw, w/ a side of jimaca slaw. $6.95-OMG.

 She's talking about 2108 State, which opened in the old "Lizard Woman" building in Cayce just before you hit the train yard.

As the conversation thread grew, she added this:
 I want to make sure the neighborhood bar and grill food critic Elizabeth Webber Akre checks it out and blogs about it:)

Well, how could I not hustle on over there after that? Today was one of the rare occasions that Neil and I were able to have lunch together.  I met him there.  It took me a minute to find him because, much to my surprise, this place is HUGE. I found him seated at the bar talking to one of the owners, Corey.  I joined them in a little chit-chat and then got down to the business of perusing the menu.

I have to echo Holly's excitement.  It's a really cool menu.  It was hard to decide what to try on this initial visit.  We decided to share an appetizer and each order a different sandwich and split them.  The overall theme of 2108 State is salads, sandwiches, burger and appetizers.  But what makes this different is that it's not like other menus of similarly themed restaurants.  For instance, their version of a cheese stick is "Dorito Crusted 5-Alarm" cheese sticks.  Their taco offerings do not include one made with ground beef.  The fries aren't what you expect, they have a Po'Boy du jour and how can you not love a menu that features "Critter Fritters?"  (hushpuppies filled with crawfish & crab.)

Neil and I unanimously agreed on the "Bacon Bleu Pimiento Cheese Dip."  That alone sounds enticing, but where they really won me over is the dippers are fried green tomato wedges.  Stop the presses!  This girl can dig on some fried greens.  

Sorry about the lighting; restaurants tend to be a little dark & this is iPhone photography!

And these were very well done...thick, but not too thick slices of tart green tomato with a crispy crust.  The pimiento cheese was nice as well.  Very cheddar-y.  I couldn't pick up much bacon or bleu cheese, but Neil could.  Even so, I'd gladly munch on this again!

Yummy warm Caribbean flavors & super tender pork

On to lunch:  Neil chose the "Jerked Pulled Pork Tacos."  This was two soft tacos filled with pulled pork that was delightfully seasoned.  I could detect cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, among other things.  Even though this is called jerk, it's not going to set you on fire.  It has all the Caribbean flavors of jerk, but not the blistering heat.  

After talking more to Corey, I learned that he and his folks lean more toward the spicy side as well, but have toned some dishes down so that they will appeal to all.  I'm willing to bet you could tell these guys to spice it up for you and they'd gladly comply.  And you know how pulled pork can be the most heavenly thing on Earth, but often, in restaurants, it ends up as a pile of dry, chewy shreds.  Not the case here.  The meat was very tender and juicy, as it should be.  It was accompanied by the jicama mango slaw, which again, was nice, but I think could benefit from some heat.



I chose to try one of the hamburgers.  I mean, any good joint must have a good burger.  It's just one of the laws of nature.  Well, not really, but it should be.  I decided on the "Grandpa Burger."  This burger is served with bacon, cheddar, lettuce, tomato and thinly shaved red onion.  I asked for it to be cooked medium-rare and didn't get one word of hesitation about it.  Here's the verdict...this was one kick-ass burger.  In fact, I think it is the best burger in town.  What makes it different is:   

• They cooked it as I ordered it!  It was pink inside, super juicy, and that meaty juice penetrates the bun, giving you one sloppy, delectable hamburger!
• It was served with two thick slices of cheddar, so you could actually taste the cheese.  Tasting the cheese...what a novel idea!
• When they say bacon, they mean it.  Unlike so many other places, I got a burger with smoky, salty and CRISPY bacon, again that I could really taste.  No flabby, half-cooked, no-point-being-on-my-burger excuse for bacon.
• The red onion was shaved, so you can enjoy a little onion flavor without walking out with an onion force field around you.
• Bun...not toasted to the point of scraping your mouth, soft but not chewy, the right size for the burger.
• Bright green, fresh leaf lettuce and two slices of red, gorgeous tomato side by side.
• The meat...this is important, so I saved it for last.  I'm going to put this in caps because it's that important.  IT WAS MADE WITH GOOD MEAT.  You know what I mean.  Juicy, flavorful, no little gristly things to gross me out and you can tell from your first bite that they are cooked over a flame.  Just outstanding. 

This is how it looked as it arrived.  Look at that pretty frilly lettuce!

Look at all that bacon tucked under that cheddar

I guess you've probably concluded that you need to rush right over and order a hamburger, huh?  Sorry Rockaways, Pawley's and every other place who touts themselves as Columbia's burger gurus.  You've been replaced. Your title has been taken. Bow your heads and just walk away.  And before I forget, their fries are awesome too. Instead of the norm, they are waffle cut chips that are cooked semi-floppy, but unlike 'raw fries' they aren't flabby and greasy.  

A really unique order of fries

They are crispy, but still have some bend in them.  We learned that on Fridays you can get some of their bleu cheese sauce drizzled on the fries 'gratis.'  It's "blue Friday."  This is a really nice touch and complements the chips well.


2108 State opened in May first for lunch only.  They are now open for lunch and dinner, have a large full bar with plenty of USC paraphernalia for you sports fiends to gawk at and they cater as well.  Owners Corey & Jeff are both accomplished chefs and have probably cooked for you before in various Columbia restaurants.  Seeing a hands-on owner who is present in the business is always a good sign as well. I really like this place and I recommend that you try it for yourself.  If you're in Cayce, it's on the corner of State St. and Frink.  From Columbia, cross the Blossom St. bridge, turn left on State St.  


If you're lucky, you might be there on a day when the passing truckers' CB radios break into the restaurant's stereo system.  We were so lucky and it was hysterical! 

That's a big 10-4 good buddy.  I'mma gonna give that there 2108 State a big ol' Breaker 1-9.  I believe we got us a convoy.

Taco War: The End of the Battle

I recently mused about the headline article in Free Times regarding Columbia's Taco War.  I'm still flabbergasted that our city's government could stall and hem 'n haw for over a year on such a simple issue, but (Woop!) there it is.  


Yesterday morning, I was surprised to receive a short one-liner from the actual Taco Stand Man.  He had somehow found my (very artistic and professional grade) "Taco Boy" cartoon on YouTube.  He was very complimentary and commented that he'd never had anyone turn him into a cartoon before.  Hold the phone... I may have stumbled onto a promising side business for myself.  (note to self: start searching for a talent agent).  

Ironically, later that same day, I received this link from my friend Kelley... I am delighted to know that the Taco Cart will stand and begin to deliver.  I am delighted to know that a new restaurant is coming to Main Street.  I just hate the fact that the little guy had to be the big guy and compromise.  Really?  City council had to look to a small businessman to give up something so they wouldn't have to just use some common sense and cajones to honor the man's permit application and let both businesses coexist and compete in this free market society we live in?  (Rolling my eyes and taking a deep breath)

But, in the end, I congratulate David Roberts for having incredibly tenacious patience while our elected procrastinators jerked him around for a year.  I, for one, can't wait to visit his taco cart and give him my full support.  But, one last note before I go:  Should we be worried about the fact that no one can reach the "Fever" lady?Hmmmm

Columbia's Taco War

Upon Neil's recommendation, I grabbed a copy of the current Free Times today.  The cover story is about a "Taco War" going on downtown on Main Street.  Yes, I said Taco War. I won't summarize the entire article, as you can click over and read it yourself.  But, I will give you my two cents' worth!

City Council...are you friggin' kidding me?  

Having served for about 8 years now on the City of Columbia's Board of Zoning Appeals, I have some familiarity with the difficulty of making some of these decisions that affect the good of the City, the people of the City and (in most cases) the emotions of the City.  It's not easy to listen to people's stories, hear their arguments and not get clouded or even confused sometimes.  But, to spend over a year agonizing over a Taco decision?  I'm sorry, but I am dumbfounded at how incredibly stupid that is.

So, here's the way this all breaks down to me.  You may not agree with me; that's certainly ok.  But, I think my logic is pretty compelling.

Taco Stand:  This appeals to any business person who has limited time, is literally running from one meeting to the next and is probably the person who eats at his/her desk when and if they ever actually eat lunch.  This also appeals to people like me who might like to take the kids over to the Capitol to climb trees, feed the pigeons and stroll through the gardens.  It would certainly be preferable to buy a taco from the street vendor rather than drag the Vivver into a sit-down restaurant, deal with ordering, kid's drinks (you have lids, right?) and then getting to scarf down my meal with one hand and one eye on the child the whole time.  And, the cool bar down below street level that serves tacos?  Great, but I'm not taking my child into a subterranean bar for a taco.

Tacqueria Fever:  New restaurant in town?  Bring it on!  Do I believe that an investor is going to spend over $400,000 on renovations to a building just to sell tacos?  Of course not.  I'm sure she's developed an extensive and interesting menu, especially since she's already hired a chef and is already paying that person a salary. So, do I believe that a guy outside on the sidewalk is going to impact her business?  No!  The person I described above doesn't have time for Fever. They are hustling down Main Street and are lucky to grab a bite.  They can't come in, sit down and enjoy the creations of your chef.  See how that works?  You're serving different customers.  Everybody wins.

This is Belinda.

The Whig:  The Whig has nothing to worry about.  They've already got their loyals, created their Taco Tuesday tradition and they are happy to get along with others.  Belinda Gergel was quoted as saying, "We are presented with two very attractive alternatives, but one is already there."  Really Belinda?  Fever isn't "there"; it's a building under renovation for a year and still not open.  So, by Belinda's logic, the Whig was there first, so Council has wasted a flippin' year and the Fever owner's $400K since neither the cart nor the restaurant are ripe for approval because the Whig is already there.  That was a really dumb thing to say.  And, I like Belinda.  But, that was a really dumb thing to say.

The way I see it is this: downtown Columbia needs as much revitalization as it can get.  The fact that there is interest in opening businesses there, whether traditional bricks and mortar or non-traditional vendor carts, is what we want and need.  Healthy competition is just that...healthy.  If this guy's tacos are so good that a restaurant fears the competition, then that restaurant better step up their taco game, or perhaps forget about serving tacos.  

I'd be a much happier City resident if I knew that my City Council was applying themselves to issues like our deteriorating water/sewer pipe system, paving roads that they are responsible for and getting our cops to quit directing baseball traffic and get out there and enforce red lights and fight crime.  But, I guess I'm like John Lennon here, "You may say I'm a dreamer..."

TakoSushi

I am no sushi expert. In fact, until recently, I didn't even participate in the whole sushi thing. You see, despite numerous attempts, I just simply don't like raw fish at all. BUT, then, I was enlightened. Now, thanks to Chef Larry from SakiTumi, I am addicted to the shrimp TEMPURA roll.

Now, I am loyal to SakiTumi, but my husband is a huge fan of the TakoSushi folks. He believes their fish tacos are rivaled only by the Taco Boy at Folly Beach. And, lucky for me, their shrimp tempura roll rocks as well. One nice little detail about theirs is that it has a light sprinkling of red caviar on the outside...nice little salty crunch.

If you're unfamiliar with TakoSushi, give it a whirl. Apparently, they first opened a restaurant in Aiken, SC. My husband became their most loyal of loyals at their 2nd place in Greenville, SC. Now, we have them in Columbia and all is right with the world! It's on Assembly across from the Statehouse, where Doc's Gumbo Grille used to be. (BTW, Doc's isn't gone, just moved to Rosewood) :-)