FARM-TO-FORK
The Ordinary Oyster Bar
Chef/Partner: Mike Lata
544 King Street
843.414.7060
From the same creative team behind FIG
comes The Ordinary, a “fancy seafood
hall” and oyster bar located in an old
bank on King Street. Their approach
is consistent: an aim to pair great food
with great drink and friendly, detailed
service. According to partners, “At The
Ordinary, we do so against the backdrop
of an historical Charleston building that
has been transformed into a high energy,
bustling American brasserie.”
The menu at The Ordinary celebrates
the “merroir” of the Coastal Carolinas
and the East Coast. This term refers
to the way an oyster’s flavor reflects
where it was grown. At The Ordinary,
the team is committed to farm-to-fork,
locally sourced ingredients, and they
“strive to support local and regional
fishermen, crabbers, oystermen, farmers and producers.”
The Ordinary calls itself a community-driven restaurant whose menu
could not be possible without the
support of “friends and purveyors.”
In fact, a section of its website lists its
suppliers and provides an option to
learn more about each.
Menu favorites include hot and cold
oysters and other seafood offerings
such as Oyster Sliders, Moules Frites,
and a Softshell Crab BLT. The Ordinary
also offers a prix fixe menu which
includes salad, daily entrée and dessert.
Bon Appetit’s column, The Foodist,
recently picked The Ordinary as one
of the top 10 oyster bars in the country. According to columnist Andrew
Knowlton, “Oysters are having a
moment, and no wonder. They’re delicious, unpretentious, and, with their
seemingly magical ability to filter the
waters they grow in, sustainable, too.
When I see oysters on a menu, I have
a hard time not ordering them.” He
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