Charleston

You wouldn't expect to find great South Carolina low country food in Maryland would you? Well you can, right in the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore. Now this is much more refined and elegant than your typical soul food fare, but some elements are there. Trust me, I'm a southern boy at heart. This restaurant however is on par with top class French restaurants when it comes to flavor, presentation and inventiveness. They have a flexible menu that allows you to choose any number of courses. I had a truffle tasting when I was there, but you didn't have to have all of the courses and your dining partner(s) could have different number of courses as well. I had rockfish ceviche, black truffle risotto, pork confit with fried green tomato, and a bittersweet chocolate tarte. All were excellent and made this southern boy with a refined palate very, very happy.