Restaurant Review: Magnolia's of Charleston, SC

It was almost 1:30 on a Monday afternoon when we entered Magnolia's, so it wasn't very busy. The atmosphere was light and airy, with lemon yellow walls, white tablecloths and different painted renderings of magnolia flowers on the walls. It wasn't a very large room, although there were quite a few tables. As we just wanted appetizers we opted for the less formal bar area. The bar was small, dark and intimate, with more tables behind it in a dimmer setting than the front.

We ordered drinks while we perused the menu. I ordered the house Chardonnay, J ordered a vodka soda, and my sister R ordered a dirty dry martini with olives. The drinks were good and poured well. I tasted my sister's martini and was impressed with its flavor. My Chardonnay was smooth, buttery and just fine for me. J's vodka was just strong enough.

We decided on three appetizers to share as we were going to eat a little later elsewhere. We ordered the fried green tomatoes with white cheddar and caramelized onion grits, country ham and tomato chutney. We asked for the ham on the side as R is a vegetarian (she does eat seafood though.) We also got the pimiento cheese with Charleston flatbread, and the salt and pepper buttermilk fried shrimp with a jezebel sauce and a sweet corn relish.

Our food was served promptly. The portions weren't huge but quite adequate. The homemade pimiento cheese was deliciously flavorful with a sharp bit of good quality cheddar. The flatbread was actually deep fried to a crisp, but was not greasy at all. The fried green tomatoes were wonderfully flavored although I usually like them a little crispier on the outside. The tomatoes worked really well with the creamy grits, and the salty sharp ham bit through the sweetness of the chutney. The shrimp were perfect; sweet, juicy and not too thickly battered. The buttermilk was a great way to add flavor and keep them tender. I found I didn't need much of the sauce, but the corn relish went well with the shrimp.

The appetizers ranged from $7.95-$8.95. Our total was approximately $85 with a tip, which isn't bad for three appetizers and 6 alcoholic beverages altogether. All in all we were pleased with the food, service and quality of Magnolia's restaurant. Next time we will definitely have to try it for dinner. Magnolia's is located at 185 E. Bay St., Charleston, SC 29401, 843-577-7771.