It
seems that there is a new restaurant opening in the Upstate every week, and
while we enjoy trying out the trendy spots (which often become favorites), we
also have our go-to restaurants. There are the ones that we visit when
celebrating birthdays and wedding anniversaries, but we have a handful that are
on regular rotation for occasions such as the fridge is empty, it’s too hot in
the kitchen or mommy needs a break. These are the family-friendly places that
have dishes suitable for the kids (but still have an interesting menu for the
adults), have a fun atmosphere, include stress-free parking and reasonably
priced meal options.
---------------------------------------------
Don’t
judge a book by its cover; just as a restaurant on Main St. isn’t guaranteed to
be good just because it’s squeezed in among all the current bestsellers, being
located in a strip mall shouldn’t disqualify a new author from consideration. I’ve
recently become familiar with yet another dining option in Greenville that
offers local craft beer and fresh, Southern-inspired menu offerings paired with
a convenient location and plenty of parking – making it a sure bet for a
weeknight.
Craft
& Barrel gastropub specializes in local craft beer, hand-crafted bourbon
& whiskey cocktails, and a fresh, Southern menu. The owners Ritch Matthews
& Lauren Cramer have been in the food industry for more than 17 years and opened
Craft & Barrel in the fall of 2016 where the old Cheers used to be. Be
warned – this is a gastropub – meaning it’s more of a bar (but with great
food!) than a restaurant, and although it’s a place I’ll take the boys, I will
make sure it’s not a night when a live band is playing or karaoke night. We’ll
bypass the bar and sit in the back room near the stage, or in the enclosed
outdoor patio, and we might go a bit earlier to avoid the evening rush (Wednesdays are usually perfect!).
 |
| fried green tomatoes |
The
full menu features a wide range of options, with the entirety (other than a
couple of exceptions) made on site, from scratch. With this in mind, here are a
few of my favorites:
From
the small plates – fried green tomatoes & housemade cheese sticks. The
tomatoes are every bit as good as the ones made in Juliet, GA where the movie
Fried Green Tomatoes was filmed, the remoulade probably better. The cheese
sticks with fresh marinara sauce are light without being greasy.
From
the snacks – bacon jalapeno deviled eggs. A spicy twist on a southern fave, the
locally-sourced cheddar and bacon kicking it up a notch.
 |
| macaroni & cheese large plate |
From
the flatbreads – the pesto and heirloom tomato is a best-seller, and for good
reason.
From
the large plates – the buttermilk fried chicken, the fish and chips. My
favorite menu item is the macaroni and cheese: jumbo shells blended with white
cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, diced tomatoes and scallions, plus I add the
grilled shrimp. Note, if you order mac&cheese as a side, you'll be getting the classic macaroni and cheese...
Sides –
you can’t go wrong with the sweet potato chips, and a good test of a chef is
his fried okra; ours was perfect.
Dessert
– (Order it! Selections do change daily…)
 |
| pesto and heirloom tomato flatbread |
The
specialty drinks I’ve tasted have been excellent, interesting ingredient pairings
with good presentation. The blackberry julep is a favorite: Bulleit bourbon,
fresh blackberries, fresh mint & sugar. The St. Basil left me perplexed; what
was supposed to be Basil Hayden’s bourbon, muddled basil, grapefruit bitters
& St. Germain instead contained cilantro, however the combination was
delicious and so I didn’t even attempt to clear up the misunderstanding.
 |
| Buttermilk fried chicken with sweet potato chips & fried okra |
In
addition to the live music that takes the stage most Friday and Saturday
nights, there are plenty of TVs, a room for darts (that can have some serious competition
certain nights), a weeknight happy hour and karaoke. Our service has always
included good recommendations and a friendly stop-by from the owner, and the
timing of food coming out is flawless. It doesn’t have to be downtown for it to
be a Greenville favorite – Craft & Barrel is the perfect example.
---------------------------------------------
Click here for Craft & Barrel's website.
No comments:
Post a Comment