Poogan’s is one of Charleston’s greatest joints. Their restaurant philosophy is as follows:
They believe in conversations on porches, Sunday brunch, old Southern dogs, ghosts, seersucker, biscuits, homemade and handmade, sweet tea, handwritten recipes, friends old and new, great stories, gracious hospitality and our Moms.
And that is exactly what you will find at Poogan’s Porch. I attended Poogan’s Signature Dinner which was described as an evening of seasonally inspired dishes as we celebrate our Southern roots and everything the region has to offer.
We enjoyed dishes from Chefs Daniel Doyle and Benjamin Harris, Nick Leahy, Bruce Moffett, and Tara Stedman. We also enjoyed wine pairings with each course from Mira Winery located in Napa Valley.
Here is what we had to eat:
Lobster Roll – Poached Maine Lobster, Brioche, Tarragon Mayo, Fingerling Potato Chips. Paired with a Sauvingnon Blanc 2012
Pimento Cheese Gougeres- Pickled Shrimp, Spring Onions, Fermented Sunchoke and Allen Benton’s Ham. Paired with Chardonnay 2014
Pan-Roasted Scallops- Charred Corn, Riverveiw Farms Grits, Prosciutto Broth, Smoked Garlic Chips Paired with Pinot Noir 2013
Ham-Brined White Oak Duck Breast- Root Vegetable and Confit Coquette, Tangerine Gastrique. Paired with Syrah 2012.
Parmesan Gnocchi- Braised Veal Sugo, Porcini Mushroom, Fresh Herbs. Paired with Cabernet Franc 2012.
Meyer Short Rib with Bone Marrow- Local Peanut Succotash, Nasturtium, Sweet Potato. Paired with a Cabernet Sauvignon
And last but not least… a Red Velvet Moon Pie served with a Cheerwine Cafe Du Monde Milkshake.
This dinner was amazing. The chefs pulled out all the stops and the wine pairings were great. If you find yourself in Charleston, make sure to eat at Poogan’s Porch. You won’t be disappointed.
Guests will enjoy wine pairings with each course from Mira Winery, a vineyard that produces innovative, all natural wines each crafted from a singular expression of Napa grapes. Just watch out for the ghost.
Around 1900, Zoe St. Amand and her sister, Elizabeth, lived in the house. Zoe, a school teacher, looked every bit the spinster. She often wore long, black Puritan-style dresses and round, wire-rimmed glasses. The sisters seemed to prefer the company of each other, and kept mostly to themselves.
When Elizabeth died in 1945, Zoe became incredibly lonely. She was depressed, and her mental state may have deteriorated—she was reportedly often seen calling out her sister’s name. Finally, neighbors took her to St. Francis Hospital to live out the remainder of her days. Today, Zoe’s body rests in St. Lawrence Cemetery, at 60 Huguenin Avenue, just north of downtown. Where her spirit is, however, seems to be debatable.
There have been numerous sightings of Zoe St. Amand at Poogan’s Porch. Restaurant employees have certainly seen her, and it’s not outside the realm of possibility to see a diner or two run from the building looking like they’ve just seen a, well, ghost. [SOURCE]
Was the ISO on our DLSR stuck or was the camera issue the work of the ghost? It is possible we’ll never know but fortunately we had a back-up cell phone camera.
