New Charleston restaurants have something for everyone

TESSIE CARENBAUER/George Washington

Waiter Eduardo Canelon prepares to serve Mediterranean pasta and a large salad to customers at Bluegrass Kitchen on the corner of Washington Street East and Elizabeth Street.

By Tessie Carenbauer
George Washington High School

Let’s face it: finding a good, inexpensive restaurant isn’t always easy. That’s why people tend to stick with favorites. However, Charleston has several new restaurants that are worth branching out of one’s comfort zone to try.

As a vegetarian, there are obviously limitations on what I can eat. But I was surprised to find that I had many options to explore at three new restaurants in town: Ichiban, Bluegrass Kitchen and Cazon.

I’ve been to Bluegrass Kitchen, located on the corner of Washington Street East and Elizabeth Street, numerous times and have never been disappointed. The grilled black bean burrito, served with organic blue corn chips and salsa, is a local favorite. The dish may sound common, but it tastes fresh and unique.

The restaurant also offers a delicious Mediterranean pasta with feta cheese, spinach, tomatoes, red onions and baby spinach for just over $10. Non-vegetarians would like The Perfect Chicken, a dish with bacon, Swiss cheese and French bread.

My favorite part of a Bluegrass meal, though, is always the dessert. There’s key lime pie, but I prefer the chocolate panini, which includes warm bread, dark chocolate and a raspberry dipping sauce.

As an added bonus, the restaurant offers live entertainment on weekends.

Ichiban is a Pan-Asian restaurant at 103 Capitol St. (on the corner of Capitol and Virginia streets). It has food for meat lovers and vegetarians alike.

When I was there, I enjoyed the Asian vegetables with tofu, fried in soy sauce and served with rice. Meat lovers can’t go wrong with the filet mignon, which includes two small steaks stuffed with scallops and vegetables. Other entrees include seafood, poultry, pork, beef, curry and vegetarian options. A variety of sushi is also offered.

Although I didn’t eat dessert when I went there, the menu is tempting. Both the fried cheese cake and the chocolate spoon cake sound tasty.

Cazon Southwest Deli is a new restaurant also on Capitol Street. It’s a block away from Ichiban, located at 222 Capitol St. (near Ellen’s Homemade Ice Cream and Taylor Books).

When I ate at Cazon, I ordered the peppered portobello wrap with a cracked pepper aioli. The Mediterranean taco, topped with a feta vinaigrette, is only $5, and you can add chicken or portobello for an additional dollar.

About half the meals are vegetarian, so there is a variety of food for everyone. Seafood lovers should try the shrimp and crab Caesar, served with real crab and fresh vegetables. Anyone would enjoy the fajita burrito, topped with pico de gallo, because it can be served with portobello, shrimp, chicken or beef.

Though Charleston may not be booming with new places, the town has established several good restaurants. So instead of heading to your local favorite the next time you go out for dinner, try something different with one of these restaurants instead.