Zero George could be my favorite restaurant in the Southeast and definitely ranks up there as a national fave to us (wife and I). A total foodie place in a city known for its cuisine and hospitality, Charleston. Yesterday was my second time there in a little over a year, and there was even a noticeable step-up over the most excellent prior time. This blew away Husk, where we ate the prior night.
I found Husk to be good but not great, and frankly, overrated for the buzz and the food. And the wine list was silly. As my friend Charlie Carnes quipped, looks like a Somm put together that list to show off how good and geeky he is, more than to appeal to a regular audience. I may have recognized 20% of the names on the list at best, and perhaps had only tried 5% or less. And both the reds and the whites were served too warm. Most of the reds on that list were baby fresh as well. Went with a 2019 Domaine Chambeyron-Manin Côte-Rôtie Côte Brune, and a couple Loire Savs. The Cote Brune was a classic, quite delish, once we cooled it about 10 degrees!
By comparison, ZG had a killer list that was both geeky and user-friendly as well. And their Somm was super knowledgeable and friendly. Husk did not even have a Somm on staff that Saturday night. The Somm was off! With a list like that, it’s inexcusable. ZG’s Somm was working on Sunday. The ZG Somm made some great recos, and was recommending some quality wines - without asking - that fell into the lower end of the price range for that list. He also recommending that we stay away from the Bordeaux and Cabs - and they had some nice wines with age on them - as he thought lighter reds paired better with the menu. And he’s right.
The ambience at ZG is very quaint, like the Inn. Small rooms with just a few tables in each room. Outdoor dining as well. Super attentive staff, all of whom know their menu very well.
The menu is set every evening, chef’s multi-course. The price is quite reasonable -$145 per person. And that’s for a meal that has around 12-13 servings, some of which are small bites. The extra caviar course was $45, with vodka. And the Wagyu bump over the duck was $95. Both worth it. I got the duck, my wife got the Wagyu, as did our friends, so that we could share.
They start with a shotgun blast of savory bites. This time was seven pieces, last time was five. An incredible piece of chicken liver pate. A fresh radish served as a potted plant, the soil an edible dish of quinoa, sea salt and rich butter. Oysters. Qual egg with fish roe. And some other bites that were hard to describe but just added to an overall savory and rich experience to get the dinner flowing and whetting your appetite for what you knew was coming. The Loire Chenin Blanc was so versatile, paired so well with all bites.
But then we cut to caviar and vodka. A fun course with a lot of panache in the presentation. Large dollops served on the back of your hand, chased with chilled vodka.
After that followed a series of small plates like raw sturgeon with sauerkraut and raw lamb over anchovies and a berry jamb. Both intriguing dishes and flavors but probably my least favorites of the evening. Pretty daring, both. Credit to that. The lamb plate came with a small side of flat bread that was obscenely delish, chewy and soft with olive oil, salt, garlic and Rosemary. Had a raw cookie dough chewiness to it that was unique as it was definitely cooked.
The halibut over leeks with a side dumpling was astonishingly excellent. The duck and Wagyu were both served with grilled greens. The Wagyu melted like butter. The duck was savory and chewsy with a nice layer of fat and crisp skin. Both so excellent.
At this point we had tried some many different things and courses, you would think we are both overwhelmed and full. But not. The scale of the plates and the cadence of the service kept things fresh and not overbearing.
Not the wine I would have chosen for the final course, but we did a 2019 Vieux Telegraphe. My buddy loves fruit bombs while I prefer more classic old world, but a traditional CDP is a Venn Diagram wine. The ladies stuck with more Loire Chenin. The list had many reds into the four figures, but I saw a 2016 Chateau des Tours Vaucluse for $108. That would have been perfect for this cuisine, a total sleeper on that menu!
And we had just enough room left for dessert. Actually, dessert courses. Three of them to be exact.
I needed champagne for this. And of course, they pour Krug NV by the glass. The 168 this time around. A very healthy pour in an appropriate white wine stem.
First was a sheep’s milk dulce with pear and vanilla. Sprinkled with some cinnamon. Next was a chef’s take on tres leches with honey comb crisps. And then they ended the round with dark chocolate and sesame chips to dipped into matcha. Was like a guacamole and chips setting! The sheep’s mile dulce stole the show.
My wife didn’t allow me to segue to Pappy’s. So mean! But we did close the place down.
Overall an outstanding night. This place has it wall. Quaint. Romantic. Attentive. Knowledgeable. Such a journey through the evening. My top recommendation in Charleston.
Sorry some of the pics are blurry!
