One Eleven Yorkville: Champagne, Oysters, Caviar

I think the name and location say it all. It is Yorkville and they serve champagne, oysters and caviar. Of course just because you have the location and a swanky menu doesn't mean you have it all, you still have to do it right and One Eleven has done it right.

Atmosphere is one of the key elements if you want people to continually come back to your establishment.  From the waterfall flowing beside the stairs as you descend into the restaurant and the unique art deco inside One Eleven creates a relaxing gathering place.  This small underground space has a max capacity of sixty people; however, the dark colours, mirrored walls and dim lighting play tricks on your perception making the place feel much larger than it is. In addition to this perception trickery, there is a vertical column of bubbling blue "water" in the center of the room which helps create the artificial feeling of semi private quarters to the restaurant.  This artificial feeling offered our group a sense of intimacy and seclusion from those around us.  In contrast to this privacy and intimacy,  the venue is  small enough to feel comfortable mingling  with the rest of the crowd.  There is often live music in the background and the Tuesday night I was there the vocal stylings of Mike Ferfolia (www.ferfolia.net) added a kick to the atmosphere making it feel a little bit more like a party.  Using a number of classics from the seventies he united the crowd with the common theme of his voice but did not overpower the room so that we could enjoy our meals and friends.  The atmosphere alone is enough for me to recommend you go and check out One Eleven Yorkville; however, they enticed me for a return trip with a wonderful meal.

We were celebrating a birthday so the chefs prepared a special three course meal and paired it with wine.  I cannot speak for their regular menu but I can suggest based on what we received and what they specialize in, just about anything on a plate would make you melt.  Our meal consisted of a mixed green salad with vinagrette, roast chicken on a bed of asparagus and blackened potatoes, followed by a baked fruit crisp, all paired with  a wonderful french wine.  Each aspect of the meal, almost literally melted in my mouth, everything was perfectly tender and full of flavor.  It is one of the best meals I have experienced in a long time.   

Great food, elegant upscale styling, and good entertainment provide a combination of excellence for this small intimate space in Yorkville.  If you have not been there yet stop in and see for yourself.  One Eleven Yorkville has done it right.

TAKOSUSHI: A Return

This is not a review.  Just a quick little note about a restaurant which is becoming my favorite place.  TAKOSUSHI is run by a couple who were looking to do something a little bit different.  They saw the opportunity in the franchise and decided this was their new path.  I had the opportunity to briefly chat with Shelby Stone, one of the owners, and as he puts it “the night half of the night and day team”.  Shelby is a painter, artist, supporter of the arts and very down to earth.  He was warm, welcoming and willing to sit down over a beer for a little chat.  In the few minutes we spent together I felt like I was talking to an old friend.  His demeanor and character were representative of the restaurant he helped to create.  I was glad to discover that the people who run one of my favorite places represent what they created:  a laid back place to have a good time.  If you want a comfortable different experience stop in order some food, drink some drink and while you are there say hello to the owners: they don’t bite.

Copper River Grill: A Generic Experience

My Southern Guide and I decided eating somewhere more main stream would be nice for a change.  A generic franchise with a menu the same as every other franchise.  When you are not quite sure what you want to eat this restaurant style offers the comfort of a relatively generic menu which has a little something for everyone.  As we drove down the road we saw Copper River and thought this is perfect tonight.

I believe the themed atmospheres makes generic franchises different from their competitors.  Over the years I have sat in rain forests, the old west, a traditional ranch, various 1950’s diners and many different themed locations.  These individual themes make the evening interesting and when you find the theme you like it can make for a wonderfully atmospheric dinner.  Copper River caught my attention with its Chalet/Ski Lodge motif.  Extremely high wood beamed ceilings, with an exceptionally large hearth complete with fire, a long bar with a huge wine selection in square cubby holes mounted behind it and long sun room on the side.  With the size of the bar and the dark colors I immediately felt this was a place for a younger party crowd; a group of thirty somethings on vacation cutting loose from work.  Generic uniformed servers bustled about and the generic hostess welcomed us with her generic smile.  Without delay we were seated in the empty sunroom and tempted with the promise of a quieter meal.  Unfortunately the room filled in minutes with a number of couples and their parents.  As I pondered the number of older individuals a couple and their three month old baby were seated beside us.  Not wanting to compete with the baby’s crying we asked for a different table and were promptly seated in the main room near the hearth.  Immediately following us was a large family with young children.  I looked at the other tables, quickly filling up, and noticed that other than one or two tables families sat and ordered their food.  My first impressions did not hold true, at least during dinner time, Copper River is very much a family friendly restaurant.  With my first impression changed I quickly scanned over their stock menu.

The food at Copper River is your average franchise sit down restaurant experience.  I say average because some things stand out and some things don’t; I imagine if I returned and ordered the exact same menu what I thought was good tonight would be mediocre and what I thought was mediocre would be good. The selections on the menu looked the same to me as any other chain: front page was appetizers, the middle offered soup and salad, next some entrees and below that some traditional favorites consisting of burgers and sandwiches. Their unique menu item was a selection of gourmet pizzas.  I ordered a meat lovers pizza to taste their unique twist while my Southern Guide ordered a house salad with an accompanying crab dip appetizer.  The salad was a good size portion of fresh greens and vegetables; but, the appetizer dip was disappointing at best.  Expecting a creamy dip, or at least a creamier dip, the rather dry and chunky crab mix arrived in a bowl surrounded with pita wedges.  I could taste the flavor but thought to order another glass of water to help wash it down.  In contrast to this; the pizza was fabulous.   A light thin crust, with a good helping of cheese and toppings spread almost to the very edge.  It was not greasy and the mix of meat offered spicy and subtle flavors.  It was exactly what I expected a franchise chain would offer me; nothing special but nothing bad.

After sitting down in this franchise, at 775 Haywood Rd in Greenville, I can suggest that Copper River is a chalet themed family restaurant.  There is enough selection on the menu to satisfy everyone in the family and the price is average for what they offer. Like every other franchise style restaurant it can be expected that some will relish their meal and others will be less than  satisfied, but the overall family experience will be average.

TAKOSUSHI: Blending cultures for a unique eating experience

My southern guide enjoys spicier Mexican foods and I enjoy Asian cuisine, specifically sushi, so she took me to a place where the two worlds meet TAKOSUSHI.  What? The creation of Kevin Goldsmith TAKOSUSHI is a trendy restaurant where you can sample good food from Mexico or Japan.

If there was a stage at the back, TAKOSUSHI may feel more like a bar than a restaurant.  Along one side of this narrow corridor a number of non-descript brown tables sit in front of a high backed bench mounted on the wall.  There is no pretense here, no wine glasses or cutlery on the tables, no hostess, no need for reservations; walk in and grab an empty table where ever you want.  If you prefer not to be so "formal" sit down at the bar, the other side of the corridor,  order a drink over the counter and watch them make sushi.  This casual atmosphere makes TAKOSUSHI a warm and inviting place to sit and enjoy a meal.  It is a hip little restaurant located at 34 South Main Street in the heart of downtown Greenville, SC and its location makes it a great place to stop after work.  As such, it draws a fun business crowd who have thrown off their suit jackets and ties.  

Having a good time at TAKOSUSHI is easy with a great menu and full bar. To start things off order yourself a drink of wine, beer, or liquor; whatever you fancy the bar has a good selection, including Japanese imported beer.  If you want a taste of Mexico my southern guide highly recommends the margarita made with top shelf tequila.  While they are fixing your drinks browse the menu.  Just because it is  conveniently  laid out with a section for Mexico and one for Japan does not mean you have to order one or the other.  Take your time and order whatever you like, mix your flavors or not, either way you are in for a taste sensation. We started our meal with the green chile queso dip.  Essentially cheese and bean dip, almost a soup, it was more flavorful than it looked.  Lightly spiced with green chile and other ingredients this appetizer went down very quickly.  Staying with the Mexican theme the chicken quesadilla arrived at our table. The rich blend of cheeses on the soft tortilla were a great compliment to our appetizer, but I found it a little light on the chicken.  Still very tasty, but I wanted more chicken flavor in my quesadilla.  Not disappointed or deterred, I moved onto the Japanese side.  Primarily a menu of rolls and sashimi I decided to try a few things.  The miso soup was light, a little sharp, and warm exactly as it tasted when I ordered it in Japan.  Following that, a traditional california roll and the Unforgettable roll.  Shrimp tempura, mayo, apple glaze and tuna all sprinkled with jalapeno make the Unforgettable roll, well unforgettable. Both of them were delicious.  We arrived early and as I sat back fully sated I noticed that at six o'clock the place already had a crowd full of smiles.

I was worried that with such distinct flavors from different cultures one would over power the other; however, I found each item to be very unique and distinct in its flavor.  Nothing blending or overpowering so I was treated to a true taste of both worlds at the same seating.  If it is your first trip to TAKOSUSHI I recommend going during happy hour so you can spread your dollar a little further and try a bit more of their menu.  If you are making a return trip then you probably already have a favorite or two and know that for a reasonable price you get a generous portion of whatever delight you order.

Café Rivera

Walking through the front doors to Café Rivera the first thing you notice is the very distinct layout.  The large store front windows and the high ceilings make the front section of this restaurant feel open and free as an outdoor patio.  But if you choose something more intimate take the walk down the center of the restaurant, with tables on your left, bar and open kitchen on your right, step under the proscenium arch and enter the more intimate back room, with subtler lighting and a feel for the romantic.  As you walk out the front door the last thing you will remember is the great service and the wonderful food.

Although the atmosphere feels refined it quickly becomes apparent this is a casual place to dine.  I was pleasantly surprised when our waitress, dressed in jeans and a simple black shirt arrived with our menus.  A warm welcome, menus "dropped" on the table, a drink order was taken and she was off to fetch our libations.  We asked to sample a wine or two and she soon arrived carefully balancing some bottles and a bunch of glasses.  There was nothing formal about her presentation and we quickly made a choice.   When our food arrived I was again surprised to discover one of the owners was now serving me.  Dressed as casually as her employee Lucinda Rivera stopped and chatted for a few moments. This little exchange truly made it feel like a small local diner and I was already thinking about my next visit to this warm restaurant.  Given the atmosphere I expected something different, not so much a tuxedoed sommelier, but finely dressed and delicate service.  Our waitress's and owners casual dress and tone were very welcome and I eased back into my chair for a relaxing and casual dinner.

It's service is casual and its name suggests a "café" but the food can easily sit on the table of any elegant high class restaurant in the best part of town.  Bruce Rivera owns the restaurant and is also responsible for the wonderful meals placed on the table.  His resumé boasts thirty five years experience and kitchens all over the States giving him a knowledge of food from around the world.  With a menu including Argentinean style steak, Spanish meat hash, Cuban pork and Farmer's grilled chicken he clearly demonstrates his varied styles.  My fried plantain appetizer, served with a roast garlic aioli and a light dipping sauce, was a deliciously sweet opening to dinner.  For the main course I ordered the Cuban sandwich and sampled the Ceviche Tostadas.  My classic sandwich of ham and roast pork was served on a light flat bread and the swiss cheese and mustard held everything together without overpowering the taste; with each bite I experienced a rich blend of flavors.  On the side I ordered fries which were lightly oiled, not greasy, and perfectly salted.  The Ceviche Tostadas was equally tasty. The gulf shrimp lightly marinated in lime juice, mixed with tomatoes and onions were reminiscent of a refreshing Caribbean conch salad.   Setting it apart from the traditional island favorite was the avocado, making the meal just heavy enough to be filling, and the tortilla chips.  Both dishes were a generous portion but still left room for desert.  Chocolate cake soaked in three milks and drizzled with chocolate sauce sounded rich but the tres leches chocolate cake was sweet and light.  Light enough that I sampled the flan Cubano.  A richer desert, but definitely not heavy; this custard was exactly what the menu offered creamy and velvety smooth.  It was the perfect cap to a dinner that deserved a tuxedoed sommelier and reservation to get in the door.

Café Rivera is located at 117 East Poinsett Street, in Greer, SC.  They are open for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Saturday and are available for private parties and catering.  On the last Saturday of the month they do a fixed price themed wine dinner.