Limehouse Produce FlashBack Fridays: Carolina’s review 5.9.14

Review Date: January 27, 2000

When news broke recently about the closing of Carolina’s, we couldn’t help think back on all the memories and meals we have enjoyed at the downtown restaurant. The previous chefs alone—Rose Durden, Donald Barickman, Jeremiah Bacon, Jill Mathias—are all incredibly talented and have gone on to continue to lead some of the best kitchens in Charleston.

This 2000 review by Peter Herman says it all. In his starting paragraph he boldly states that “everyone should make Carolina’s one of their regular stops.” Herman references the old “Charleston” feel the place exudes which one might say remained a part after the location’s original restaurant Perdita’s closed. It was nice to see the owners of Carolina’s name a room after Perdita’s legacy; clearly recognizing the significance of the restaurant that it was before it re-opened as Carolina’s.

At the time of the review Chef “Mama” Rose was at the helm and Herman’s main complaint was that there were too many attractive options to choose from. There was over 35 appetizers, soups and salads, 35 main dishes and over a dozen desserts—something you don’t find very often in today’s menus. It was clear Rose brought a new flavor to the menu and mixed it up by combining Asian, Southern and other ethnic flavors. Some of the highlights from the 4 ½ star review was the Carolina jumbo crab cake, shrimp and crabmeat wontons, sweet potato crusted filet of flounder and sautéed Charleston shrimp with Andouille sausage. He enjoyed the wine list that was at the time recently reviewed by the Wall Street Journal and commented on how great the service and kitchen team were.

Herman’s leaving impression is one that we can take with us today as a part of Charleston’s culinary history closes—“that was fun. We need to go back.” We will keep our eyes peeled for what is next for the space and hope whatever happens to the space, it will follow the footsteps and provide the memoires and the meals that Perdita’s and Carolina’s gave at one time to our city.