Over the last several years, Charleston’s food scene has begun to stray away from the typical Southern fare in favor of exploring more diverse flavors and dishes. The City Paper’s list of top Asian restaurants in Charleston certainly doesn’t encompass the full range of Asian cuisine available in the area, but it does highlight some of the establishments with the boldest flavors and must-try menu items that are sure to excite your taste buds.
On our list of top four Asian restaurants in Charleston, you’ll discover a mix of offerings from the traditional Sichuan-style of Chinese cooking at Kwei Fei to an eclectic concoction of Asian fusion dishes at Xiao Bao Biscuit.
These top four Asians restaurants in Charleston are some favorites from our Dish Top 50 Spring 2021 Restaurants, but we’ve added a few honorable mentions worth checking out as well.
Jackrabbit Filly
Chinese
Moderate
North Charleston. 4628 Spruill Ave.
(843) 460-0037
jackrabbitfilly.com
Serving Lunch (Wed.-Sat.), Dinner (Wed.-Sun.)
The menu at Jackrabbit Filly — Shuai and Corrie Wang’s brick-and-mortar jump from their popular Short Grain food truck — takes quintessential Asian fare, and adds some vamp. The pork and cabbage dumplings are where Yangtze meets Ganges, with a rich mix of pork, cabbage, ginger and coriander encased inside the perfectly cooked pasta wrapper. Topped with a pungent chinkiang vinegar and Lao Gan Ma chili crisp sauce, the first bite is like suddenly finding something you hadn’t even realized was missing. Short Grain’s beloved karaage endures — the meat is juicy, the coating crunchy, and the drizzle of lemon mayo and ponzu, along with some togarashi-induced heat, should be presented with the following disclaimer: “The karaage is a small structure made of chicken. It is delicious, and you are not ready for it.” While no World Famous Jackrabbit Filly twist contest exists (yet), a similar, multi-tiered, two-foot tall trophy sounds about right. Grab some friends, share the love and share it hard. —Vanessa Wolf
Kwei Fei
Chinese
Moderate
James Island. 1977 Maybank Hwy.
kweifei.com
Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sat.), Sun. Brunch
Set next door to Charleston Pour House in the space previously occupied by The Lot, Kwei Fei’s interior looks the same-ish, except now the chairs are yellow and you’ll find some Asian knick knacks scattered about. But the updates are the only understated thing about Kwei Fei. Pretty much nothing else — from the food to the music to the chef himself — can be described as subtle. Kwei Fei’s menu is an equally wild ride, offering an array of appetizers, entrees and veggie-based sides sorted into blocks labeled “Loud,” “Hot,” and “Vibes.” The crescent dumplings are an outstanding way to give your tastebuds a crash course in the events to come.
Made with ground pork and redolent Sichuan pepper, the five plump dumplings are served in a soy-based, vinegary sauce and topped with fresh cilantro and chives. Hot, sour, salty, sweet: everyone’s here. On the “vibes” side of things, vegetarians are well-taken care of with the dry-fried green beans. Here some rice makes sense and adds bulk to the delicate haricots verts, which are coated with an intense, chunky garlic and ginger combo with a little spicy kick. But of course. —Vanessa Wolf
Xiao Bao Biscuit
Asian Fusion
Inexpensive
Downtown. 224 Rutledge Ave.
xiaobaobiscuit.com
Serving Lunch, Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)
What started as a pop-up with a devout following eventually found a dedicated shrine much to the delight of all who crave a wide swath of Asian flavors (Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Taiwanese) interpreted with fresh Lowcountry ingredients. The dishes are not for the meek or unadventurous; each packs escalating levels of heat. On the gentler scale is the popular Okonomiyaki, a Japanese cabbage pancake criss-crossed with drizzles of sriracha and Japanese mayo, then topped with a runny-yolk egg. On the spicy end of the scale is the Mapo Dofu, whose cubes of tofu incinerate your taste buds with swirls of chili oil, leaving heat seekers crying through tears of gratitude as they lick their plates clean. Cool your palate with a coconut milk or a (nonalcoholic) lemongrass ginger beer. —Allston McCrady
Shiki
Seafood
Moderate
Downtown. 334 E Bay St.
(843) 720-8568
shikicharleston.com
Serving Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)
One of downtown’s longest standing restaurants, Shiki delivers fresh sushi rolls, nigiri and more in a cozy, newly renovated dining room, which is set to reopen this summer. Owner Hae Gon “David” Park opened Shiki at 334 E. Bay St. in 2001 after moving to Charleston from New York City, where he worked at esteemed sushi restaurants like Yuraku, serving as head sushi chef for five years. The chef prides himself on sourcing the highest-quality fish and his technique when making rolls, sashimi and nigiri is second to none.
Patrons who want to go big can order the chef’s choice “omakase,” which translates to “I’ll leave it up to you” in Japanese. Chef Park will bring out a seemingly endless assortment of sashimi and nigiri bites, allowing guests to try a little bit of everything. For less devout sushi enthusiasts, there’s approachable options like tempura shrimp and avocado rolls, teriyaki beef, pork katsu and more. Shiki’s menu hasn’t changed much over the years, but why would it, as the restaurant helps fill a void in a city that has very few sushi-focused restaurants. Next time you’re in the mood for high quality sushi, give this family owned and operated restaurant a try. —Parker Milner
Honorable Mentions:
Bon Banh Mi
Inexpensive
Downtown. 162 Spring Street.
(843) 414-7320
Mount Pleasant. 1440 Ben Sawyer Blvd. #1404
(843) 388-7080
Bonbanhmi.com
Serving Lunch, Dinner (Daily)
CO
Moderate
Downtown. 340 King Street.
(843) 720-3631
eatatco.com
Serving Lunch, Dinner (Daily)
Old Li’s Restaurant
Moderate
West Ashley. 1662 Savannah Highway, Suite Unit #105.
(843) 640-3994
Serving Lunch, Dinner (Thurs.-Tues.)
Pink Bellies
Inexpensive
Downtown. 595 King Street Suite 1.
toasttab.com/pinkbellies
Serving Dinner, Takeout Only (Thurs.-Sun.)
Red Orchids Bistro
Inexpensive
West Ashley. 1401 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.
redorchids.com
Serving Lunch (Mon.-Friday), Dinner (Daily)
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