14 || DISH || Summer 2021
Photos by Ashley Rose Stanol
Executive chef Jeb Aldrich launched his career in Charleston at Peninsula Grill Elegance from page 12
BOWEN’S ISLAND RESTAURANT Whether you’re a first-time guest or a long-time regular, our aim is to serve you simple, excellent seafood. Just 5 minutes from Folly Beach, we’re famous for our locally harvested oysters, fried shrimp, hushpuppies, Frogmore stew, cold beer, and undisturbed views of the river, marshes, islands, and wildlife.
1870 BOWENS ISLAND RD 843.795.2757 • BOWENSISLAND.COM
OPEN TUE - SAT, 4:30-9:30PM WE TAKE CREDIT CARDS, BUT NOT RESERVATIONS
Carolina First, now TD Bank, moved out of the space in 2006. After a renovation by the current owner, the building was converted into a restaurant in 2017 known as One Broad, operating until the eatery announced plans to permanently close in 2020. “For the longest time, the building sat empty, and I would walk by and think, ‘This building reminds me so much of Paris,’” said Palmer. “And when I heard it was going to be available again, I just knew it needed to be a brasserie.” Once the plan was in motion, Palmer got executive chef Jeb Aldrich on board. Aldrich, who attended culinary school in Charleston and launched his career at Peninsula Grill in 2001, was previously working for Indigo Road at Tiny Lou’s in Atlanta, looking for a reason to come back to Charleston. “I went to Johnson & Wales here,” said Aldrich, “I started my career here, so to come back and open a restaurant is full circle for me.” Aldrich is classically trained in French cuisine, having worked under James Beard award-winning chef Joël Antunes in Atlanta, so he’s familiar with the structure of French cuisine and brigade-style cooking. But, a brasserie is meant to be a casual setting, so Palmer and Aldrich hope to incorporate a more laid-back kitchen environment alongside the regimented structure. “A brasserie, to me, feels good all the time,” explained Palmer. “You can go in for a late lunch at 2:30. You can go in for a proper dinner. You can show up at 11 p.m. and have a drink. It’s just one of those restaurants that you feel like it’s always the right time to go to.”
La Banque is serving lunch, happy hour, dinner and late-night snacks at the basement bar downstairs, formerly occupied by Bakers Bar. The driving idea is a return to approachable French food — not fine dining. The menu is broken down into five sections: raw bar, hors d’oeuvres, seafood, meat and sides. Aldrich wants to keep the raw bar simple with two oyster options — one from the Northeast and one local — local crab, shrimp cocktail and a mini lobster roll. Similar to a ceviche, yellowfin tuna escabeche is a standout item from the raw bar, but Aldrich adds his own twist by using verjus, a kind of fermented grape juice, instead of vinegar. continued on page 16