Husk is in a large 2-story historic home with a semi open kitchen, although no dining tables are located directly by it. It has been successful enough in the original Charleston location to now have clones in other cities. They are big enough to have their own Pinot Noir made for the restaurant. We were there for lunch and even though there were a number of empty tables and we had a reservation we had to wait to be seated, as did many judging by the number of people sitting amongst the beautiful flowers out front. There is also seating on the second floor balcony. In the entry you will immediately notice the list of sources for all their foods and a large wood pile which feeds the smokers and grills.
We wanted to try a number of things and the waiter was nice enough to be willing to split them when possible or bring extra plates. Service is good and seemed to be attentive to detail for their guests. For example I saw another table getting some sticky chicken wings and the waiter brought them a hot towel when they neared the finish. The food for the most part is full of flavor.
We started with the Cheddar pimento cheese crostini. It was creamy with tasty bits of bacon like ham and a little spiciness. The bread was crisp and chewy making it an ideal match for this very good spread. The taste really grew on me with each bite.
The Pork belly lettuce wraps were fairly messy and best eaten with knife and fork due to the amount of juice in the lettuce. The pork belly was cooked to a crispy chew which I enjoyed but my husband found too crisp. The Asher blue cheese had an overly funky taste that I did not enjoy but otherwise this dish was packed with flavor and texture.
Rolls and butter accompany the meal. The rolls are light and doughy with a salted top. There is not much denseness but the butter was well softened so they are not crushed when spread.
The Shrimp and grits had perfectly cooked shrimp and small, sweet fresh peas with hints of tarragon and chives. The grits were yellow and more like a stone ground corn than the white ones I’m used to. I really liked them. They are cooked in milk and are yummy as is the whole dish. This was one of the best versions of the dish I’ve had and the best of the 3 entrees we tried.
The glazed quail was slightly overcooked and dry. However the spinach was wonderful as was the creamy mild sauce.
The fried chicken had lots of coating, was very crispy and a little spicy. The beans it came with were totally smokey and wonderful. In fact all the ingredients (peppers, onions and lots of different beans) in the bean dish made a tasty combination. The plate was filled with flavors and textures to a good effect. I was happy to look at the dessert menu but already too full to order anything.
