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LEON’S DINING PATIO

If you are looking for lunch on the go, or just to satisfy your appetite for local culinary history, poke into Burbage’s, a corner grocery and deli counter that has been in operation since 1946 (and has occupied its current Boad Street location since 1961). While the Burbage family sold it in 2013, it is still family-owned and operated and traditions like Al Burbage’s catfish stew, gazpacho, and pi-mento cheese are still local favor-ites. Truly a slice of yesteryear, a walk inside guarantees a friendly chat with owners George and Lisa Bowen, a chance to peruse local edibles, and a minute to ponder life without “big box” stores. The wine selection is solid as well, but the main reason to hit Burbage’s up is for their BBQ sandwich—work it off by wandering the beau-tiful, residential neighborhoods surrounding.

LEON’S Easily winning a spot on the coveted “all star” resto list, Leon’s truly shines at lunch. Whether it be an early or late lunch, lunch with a rowdy group, à deux, or a solo dine at the bar, this artfully-designed space on upper, Upper King always hits the spot. Open continually from 11 am ‘til close, they have patio seating, cool retro wall paper in the bathrooms, and wine on tap. Go for local beer, raw or chargrilled oysters, impeccable fried chicken, and salads that are creatively heathy and filling (the never-ending Siam Salad bowl is proof of the latter). leonsoystershop.com

PARK CAFE There is a shortage of places with dog-friendly patios and with plenty of wall plants ar-ranged to give even the sweet indoors a lovely outdoor feel. Park does just-creative-enough soups, healthy yet hearty salads, and comforting sandwiches precisely right. There’s snacking options for something light-er, and a refrigerated to-go case to grab wine or a bite for the road. It’s casual and not in the thick of things, making lunch feel like a special getaway. Though you will never want to get away from their avocado toast, so make your order a double. theparkcafechs.com

BURBAGE’S GROC.

O-KU As one of the few places in town for really fantastic sushi, O-Ku as a dinner option is not to be overlooked. But be warned that in the evening, a nightclubby vibe descends upon this sleek beauty on Upper King Street, while the lunch scene offers a much more mellow, yet still refined, ambiance. At noon, dive right into your customized bento box (sushi/sashimi, green tea soba noodle, salad, and more), get involved with the rock shrimp salad or pork dumpling dim sum, or set sail with a boat full of rolls. o-kusushi.com

FAST & FRENCH It’s really named Gaulart and Maliclet, but no local actually calls it that. In operation for more than thirty years and located on postcard-picture-perfect Broad Street, Fast & French is a lunch counter in-stitution. Lawyers bump up against hipsters as the daily special (offered with wine) is presented. There are al-ways several daily soups options and plenty for vegetarians. Despite the nickname, service is not that fast—just adds to the quirky charm. fastandfrenchcharleston.com

LANA On the corner of Rutledge and Cannon, this Charleston stalwart has a special place in our heart. The bacaloa (spicy fish soup) and mussels will warm you up for a homemade pasta entrée (we love that bolognese) from Chef John Ondo’s inspired menu. lanarestaurant.com

FIVE MORE IN FIVE WORDS FIVE LOAVES: Love all the halvsies options. fiveloavescafe.com. RUE DE JEAN: French brasserie, mussels or burger. 39ruede-jean.com. BASIL: Coconut soup, I heart you. eatat-basil.com. THE ALLEY: Eat wings and bowl better. thealleycharleston.com THE TACO SPOT: Tiny secret, yummo fish tacos. thetacospot.com

LEFT TO RIGHT: PARK CAFE DINING ROOM AND COFFEE COUNTER

LEFT AND BELOW: LEON’S SIAM SALAD AND OYSTERS

J I M M I E S , P L E A S E

TURN THE PAGE FOR OUR FAVORITE LUNCH TIME RECIPES

Many of the options here are not lunch-only spots. But you know the drill: Midday cravings strike and the roster of satisfying options, even in a city brimming with edible possibilities, always seems alarmingly short. This lamentable issue inspired us to compile a list of places that, when noontime stomachs are grumbling, incite us all to say “Yes! Let’s lunch.”

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One more reason to love Leon’s: soft serve ice cream. Whether in cup or cone, taken to go or slurped down at the table, this childhood throwback ensures you will end your meal by bringing out your inner kid.

lunch time lunch time

We know this is the lunch page, but coffee connois-seurs often get left in a lurch post-lunch when they are sadly informed that there is no espresso to be had to cap off their meal. This letdown would nev-er happen at Park Cafe, where beans from local, family-owned roaster King Beans are used to make espresso to your heart’s content...or to your heart’s palpitations. They also have an imaginative cold brew program, where the “Siddhartha” sweetly features almond and caramel, while the “Blueberry Beret” of-fers some spice with cardamom and pepper.

THE CAFFEINATED CORNER

B O N U S :JIMMIES ARE

FREE. (AND MANDATORY.)

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LEON’S OYSTER SHOP

FRIED CATFISH FROM CHEF ARI KOLENDER OF LEON’S OYSTER SHOP

For breading1 quart yellow cornmeal1 cup all-purpose flour! cup Old Bay Seasoning

For lard mix 1 tablespoon cayenne1! tablespoons paprika2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning1 cup lard, room temperature

4 quarts oil canola oil1! pounds catfish fillets2 cups buttermilk4 pieces Texas toast, grilled and halved on the diagonalPickles, homemade or preferred brand

1. Mix breading ingredients together and reserve.2. Mix spices into lard and reserve at room temperature.3. In a large pot, heat oil to 350 degrees. 4. Cut catfish into 2-inch strips and place in buttermilk. Remove from buttermilk and cover in cornmeal breading. Once thoroughly covered, pat off excess breading and drop into hot oil. Cook until golden brown and then drain on paper towel-lined plate. Pour just enough lard mix over fish to cover and let rest for a few minutes. Serve fish over pieces of grilled Texas toast, topped with your favorite pickles.

Yield: 4 servings

LOCAL HEAD LETTUCE SALAD WITH POACHED SHRIMPFROM THE PARK CAFE

1 cup citrus vinegar1 cup olive oil1 teaspoon crushed red pepper1 teaspoon coriander1 teaspoon fennel seed7 large shrimp, peeled and deveined1 head lettuce, trimmed and washed7 orange supremes7 pieces Pickled Mushrooms (recipe follows)10 slices radish" cup shaved carrots" cup shaved fennelBistro Vinaigrette (recipe follows)Fried shallots for garnishFresh cilantro for garnish

1. Make marinade for shrimp by combining citrus vinegar, olive oil, crushed red pepper, coriander, and fennel seed in medium bowl. Add shrimp to bowl and mix to coat. Place in refrigerator and let marinade 6 hours.2. Bring medium pot of water to boil. Reduce heat and add shrimp. Let simmer approximately 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and are no longer translucent. Strain and cool shrimp in ice bath.3. Place lettuce, orange supremes, mushrooms, radish slices, carrots, and fennel in large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons Bistro Vinaigrette and toss. Top with shrimp and garnish with fried shallots and cilantro.

Pickled Mushrooms1 cup soy sauce 1 cup sherry vinegar# cup sugar1 tablespoon star anise1 2-inch cup ginger, peeled and sliced $⁄% -1 pound mushrooms

1. Bring all ingredients except mushrooms to boil in small pot over medium heat. Stir to dissolve sugar.2. Clean mushrooms and place in large bowl. Pour marinade over mushrooms. Let cool and then place

in refrigerator for 24 hours. Reserve marinade for use in Bistro Vinaigrette.

Bistro Vinaigrette" cup Dijon mustard1 egg yolk" cup sherry vinegar1 cup mushroom marinade reserved from Pickled Mushrooms

3 cups salad oil 1. Blend mustard, egg yolk, and vinegar in blender and mix. 2. Add mushroom marinade and mix to combine.3. With blender on, slowly drizzle in salad oil to emulsify.

Yield: 1 serving

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Recipes Recipes“People hear fried catfish, picture that

unbecoming mug full of whiskers, and go for the fried chicken instead. I say catfish

all the way. Ari Kolender’s sand-

wich is the stuff that dreams are made of.”

–MAGGIE WHITE, TLP’S EDITOR IN CHIEF

“My favorite lunch item from the Park Cafe is

the local head lettuce salad with poached shrimp.”

—MIKE LATA, CHEF, THE ORDINARY, FIG

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