Braised Beef Tongue, Herbed Gnocchi, Smoked Tomato Sauce at American Grocery

First off, sorry, sorry, sorry for the crappy photo. I hate sitting in restaurants and trying to get that “great shot”. Instead I end up with photos like the above. Oh well, you get the gist. On to the food…

If you know me, you probably know that American Grocery, at the West End in downtown Greenville, SC, is my favorite restaurant in town. As I have mentioned in previous posts, Chef Clarke’s ever changing menu continually shocks and impresses me. On this evening, we were downtown in the middle of the week for a friends art show and on a whim stopped by AGR. I had Braised Beef Tongue, Herbed Gnocchi with a Smoked Tomato Sauce and it was, as usual, YUM!

If the thought of eating beef tongue grosses you out, I am sure you are not alone. In fact, when cooked appropriately, it is extremely flavorful and tender. In this case it WAS cooked properly, braised until tender and full of flavor. The Chef must have seared it before or after the braise because it was nice and crisp on the out side, but melt in your mouth tender inside. The gnocchi I would describe as little pillows of heaven, tender and delicious. I didn’t really taste the “herb” in them, but they were very good. The smoked tomato sauce made the dish, rich yet acidic, it seemed to make the gnocchi lighter and the beef tongue richer. You could definitely taste the smoke and spice, but it wasn’t over done at all. Finally the meal was topped with peppery arugula and shaved Parmesan it give a little lightness and contrast.

As with most meals I have enjoyed at AGR, each component of the meal was great but together amazing. Please see my last post (Duck, Jeweled Couscous and Dandelion Greens at American Grocery) for more information on AGR. If you are a foodie like me, you will love this restaurant.

Fall for Greenville 2010, downtown Greenville, South Carolina

Once a year, in downtown Greenville, South Carolina, we celebrate the coming Fall and our beloved city. It is called Fall for Greenville and we celebrate with great food, great music and…uhhh…ummm…OK, beer. The event features a lot of music from the area, food from over 40 local restaurants, a beer garden with local, regional and national micro-brews, a children’s area with rides and much, much more.

I realized that some of you may have never even heard of Greenville, South Carolina. If you have been here recently you know that it is a beautiful area between Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA. Minutes from the mountains and a few hours from the beach. There is a lot going on here and Fall for Greenville is one of my favorite things.

As a foodie, I can’t miss this event. I can sample over 40 restaurants, some old favorites (Soby’s, Larkin’s on the River) and some new (Bavarian Pretzel Factory, Grille 33 @ The Channel). The beer garden has grown over the years and added many very tasty beers.

So, you combine great weather, great food, great beer and music, it can’t get better, right? WRONG! One more thing…it all benefits local charities. That is correct, you get to eat great food, drink beer, people watch and listen to music and all for good causes. It doesn’t get better then that for me. Below are some photos taken at this year’s event, click to enlarge.

Have you been to Fall for Greenville? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

 

Beef tips, blue cheese chips from Larkin’s, beef empanada

Looking North, Main Street, Greenville, SC

Looking North, Main Street, Greenville, SC

Beer Garden at Fall for Greenville

Knockwurst, sauerkraut, spicey mustard, lobster cigars

Looking South, Main Street, Greenville, SC

Fall for Greenville, Children’s Area

Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’ Blues, Saturday Night

Sashimi Lunch at Purple International Bistro

I love seafood and I love sashimi especially when it is done well. You can’t honor the freshness of good fish any more then sashimi. After a social media onslaught of promotion by loyal fans and friends, I decide to check out Chef Jack and the newly opened Purple International Bistro and Sushi. The restaurant is located on Main Street downtown Greenville, SC in the Westend area, walking distance from my office.

I judge most sushi places by their sashimi (thinly sliced raw seafood) plates because you can’t hide behind anything. The fish is either good or bad, no masking it with sauces and seasonings. Chef Jack’s sashimi lunch plate pictured above was the freshest of the freshest, perfect. The lunch plate featured crab, salmon, tuna, octopus and a few others (toro maybe?). We ordered some edamame for the table and that plus my sashimi was the perfect lunch. Light, healthy yet filling.

Another sign of the quality of Purple is that they make their own condiments. Seriously, who makes their own wasbi and soy sauces? Well, they do. That is dedication to the craft.

It seems a new sushi place is opening every week here in Greenville but I will definitely be back to Purple, it was truly some of the best sashimi I have had here. I highly recommend this restaurant. I haven’t been for dinner but if the lunch is as good as dinner, you can’t go wrong.

Duck, Jeweled Couscous and Dandelion Greens at American Grocery

On this occasion (this was like 3 months ago during Foodie Week) during my visit to American Grocery I had the Duck, Jeweled Couscous and Dandelion Greens. I am ashamed to admit that I can’t remember what the jus was, but it was good, I do remember that much. The duck was a little chewy, which even the best preparation of duck can sometimes be. The dandelion greens where very bitter, which they always are no matter what preparation they get. The couscous was jeweled with currents and I think dried cranberries which was a little sweet for me. With all that said, I loved this dish. I would not have raved about it if either of the sides were by themselves. The bitterness of dandelion greens and the sweetness of the couscous balanced each other perfectly. Then add the rich and savoriness that the duck and jus brought, well, it was amazing.

More about American Grocery
American Grocery in downtown Greenville, South Carolina may be one of my favorite restaurants in the world. Super fresh ingredients, the menu changes daily based on available ingredients and a dedication to farm to table cooking. The sophistication of their food is amazing. Many times I look at the menu and think, “I won’t like that because of X ingredient”, then I try it and I love it. If you are from this area or visit this part of the country, do yourself a favor and give them a try. This is high end cuisine people, so if you are the buffet type, don’t go here. Consider yourself warned, that Chef Clarke serves an appropriate portion size and the cost is on the higher end for this area. If you are going to have wine or drinks (I highly recommend the bacon infused bourbon) then prepare to spend over $100 for two.