Food criticism comes naturally to just about everybody, doesn’t it? We know what we like and what we don’t, and most of us are willing to share our opinions with our friends and family. But how many of us are inclined to write those opinions down, to stand by them in the face of hostility or anger? Not many, I would bet. The job of a restaurant critic can be a lonely one, as he flits from place to place, sampling dishes and surreptitiously taking notes, ingesting the good along with the bad. Should he be merciful to a poor restaurant, he will lose his readers’ respect. Should he neglect to check his facts, he will incur the wrath of chefs and restaurateurs. Fortunately, he has his editor to protect him from the angry masses so he can head out into the great big world, fork at the ready, and obliviously tuck into one more dish. And speaking of dishes, this issue of Dish could not have been put together without the intrepid Scott Goodwin, a worthy successor to Lee Jenkins, who served as the City Paper’s restaurant reviewer for many, many years. Lee has given up her pen for motherhood, and Scott has taken over. The Dish Dining Guide reflects the opinions of both Lee Jenkins and Scott Goodwin, along with several other City Paper writers. Let Dish guide you through the best Charleston has to offer, and remember, sometimes we eat there so you don’t have to.
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