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The Main Ingredient Awards: The Best Restaurants Meals Wine Grocery Stores and Kitchen Tools of 2005

Posted on: Sunday, 25 December 2005, 12:00 CST

By Robert J. Byers and Tara Tuckwiller, The Charleston Gazette, W.Va., The Charleston Gazette, W.Va.

Dec. 25--IT'S time again for our end-of-the-year shout-out to those people, places and things that have brightened our past 12 months with their contributions to the culinary community.

Some of the categories have changed from last year's awards. Some are the same. But, as always, the Main Ingredient Awards are totally subjective, completely random and overtly Charleston-centric. When it comes right down to it, they exist only in our heads.

That said, on to the categories:

Best pancakes: Yes, IHOP has invaded and, yes, First Watch puts out a fine breakfast spread, but connoisseurs of fine flapjacks know that primo pancakes await only a short drive up Interstate 79. Light, fluffy cakes with more than a hint of vanilla put Harding's at the top of the stack.

Best soup: For the area's best soup, just think tom -- as in tom kha gai, tom yum gai or tom yum groog. The owners of the Thai House in Dunbar offer all of these excellent soups and more at their homey little spot up Roxalana Road. With loads of chicken or shrimp, lime, lemongrass and coconut milk, these soups are definitely good food.

Best new restaurant: If you haven't been to the Bluegrass Kitchen on Washington Street near the Capitol, do yourself a favor and wander in. With a laid-back feel that's unlike any other Charleston restaurant, you can go light and sometimes organic or make a meal from its hearty appetizer list, all the while doing your part to help with the reawakening of the East End's Washington Street corridor.

Best lunch: There's a reason why Blossom Deli and Soho's are so crowded during the noon hour. Actually, there are lots of reasons, and they're all listed for you on the menu. Chef and owner Bill Sohovich again shows that he knows what the Capital City wants in a restaurant -- make that two restaurants.

Best independent grocery: Allan Hathaway at the Purple Onion at Capitol Market has turned the west end of the market into a beautiful, bountiful display where lovers of hard-to-find ingredients (read: us) have been able to find such gems as ground cherries, broccoli raab, Anasazi beans, fingerling potatoes, heirloom tomatoes (locally grown organic ones at that) and more.

For exotic meats, fish, veggies and spices, we always come back to International Groceries and Spices in Kanawha City. Harish and Meena Anada make grocery shopping feel more like a treasure hunt in their jam-packed store. And, not to sound like a car dealer, but if you're not buying spices from Harish and Meena, then you're paying too much.

Best gourmet restaurant: When we think fine dining in Charleston, we think Bridge Road Bistro and Tarragon in the Marriott hotel. With the pending demise of Tarragon, however, Chef Robert Wong takes firm command of this category. Additional kudos to Wong for opening his Bistro Gourmet shop across the street from the restaurant. Where else can you buy duck breast, demiglace and andouille sausage in one shopping trip?

Best sushi: While there're lots to like about the vibrant, new Ichiban restaurant on Capitol Street, when we want sushi, we head up Shrewsbury Street to Sushi Atlantic. Yes, the service is a little slow, and, yes, it's a little like eating in somebody's hallway, but the sushi is lovingly prepared and top-notch.

Best wine list: This category takes us to the hills high above Shepherdstown, to the many dining rooms of the Bavarian Inn. This longtime staple of German-influenced fine dining in the Mountain State has a wine cellar full of everything from double magnums and Dom Perignon to beaujolais and brunello. See for yourself at www.bavarianinn

wv.com/dining_wine/wine_list.html.

Best wine value: Charleston's two Drug Emporium locations have good selections of low- to mid-price wines -- and their prices are always a buck or two less than anybody else. Plus, check out the price on imported beer when you're there. It has to be the lowest in the area.

Best new cooking tool: Tara's favorite would have to be the Oxo mango splitter. Somebody finally came up with an easy way to deal with a mango. This compact little gem shaves every bit of mango from the recalcitrant pit in one impressive swoop. For Rob, it's Oxo's silicon hot pads. Made to fit and safe up to 600 degrees (in case you decide to do some cooking on the face of the sun), these hot pads got you covered.

Best new cookbook: Well, new to us, anyway. Although it was published in 2004, "The Olive and the Caper" by Susanna Hoffman has been propped open on our kitchen counter a lot this year. Beautiful photography, interesting commentary and easy-to-follow recipes can have you cooking like the Greeks in no time.

That's it for this year's awards. Thanks to the food lovers out there who have read our columns and tried our recipes this year. Thanks for your calls and e-mails of encouragement.

Merry Christmas!

To contact staff writers Robert J. Byers and Tara Tuckwiller, use e-mail or call 348-1236 or 348-5189.

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Copyright (c) 2005, The Charleston Gazette, W.Va.

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Source: The Charleston Gazette

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