Acme Lowcountry Kitchen

Recently the wife and I went on vacation in the Charleston/Folly Beach area of South Carolina.  What a beautiful place to spend some time.  Last year after a trip to Charleston we decided we'd return this year for a longer stay, this year we made our accommodations in Folly Beach at a wonderful guest house.

Now, I had always heard of Isle of Palms and thought it sounded exotic, so we decided to visit while in the area.  Isle of palms is essentially on the other side of Charleston from Folly Beach.  You can see by the map the proximity.  Isle of Palms is very much the way I imagined it, actually it's nicer.  Beautiful beach, no clutter of McDonalds, WalMarts, or outlet malls like most vacation destinations.  We really relaxed and enjoyed ourselves.  When it came to food though, we really lucked up when we found Acme Lowcountry Kitchen.

Zoom in to see Folly Beach as opposed to Isle of Palms

When we had to wait for a table on a Sunday night I knew we were in the right place.  We sat out on the front porch until our name was called and we were then seated in a cozy little dining room.  We both love seafood, but my wife needed a break.  She ordered the Sweet Tea Brined Chicken.  Boy howdy was this ever good.  Two large chicken breasts that had been marinaded in sweet ice tea and then fried up nice and crispy.  One of the highlights of her selection was some of the most amazing barbecue sauce ever.  For me to say that, it really must be something.  Many of you know I have my own barbecue sauces I make and cherish, but Golly-Ned, this sauce was incredible and different from any I'd had.  

I had an amazing Seafood platter with Shrimp, Scallops, Flounder, and a Crab Cake.  This seafood was so fresh and tasty, but I have to tell you one of my favorite parts of the meal... the sides.  Usually most seafood joints just pile fries and hushpuppies on your plate, but Acme goes a step beyond and above with their sides.  Nothing short of amazing.

Field Peas and grits were the sides I chose.  I went with the unadorned creamy, buttery grits.  Oh, were they ever good.  The big surprise however were those field peas.  These peas flavor and consistency of somewhere between a balck-eyed pea, a brown bean, and a Carolina Boiled Peanut.  Man oh man, I loved these peas.

The Fried Platter on left and "The Wreck" on the right

The man responsible is Executive Chef Frank Kline. Frank Kline was born in Charleston and graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in business.  Before college, and after, he worked in several local restaurant kitchens.  He then started working in the kitchen of the The Boathouse at Breach Inlet, where he moved from cook, to waiter, to manager.  He then was promoted to GM of The Boathouse. After leaving work there, he came to Acme where his friend Bobby Simmons got him a job bartending.  Shortly after, Bobby bought the business and Frank took over the kitchen and they went from a Tex Mex restaurant to Seafood.  Chef Kline has over 16 years experience in the culinary industry.  An award-winning chef, Frank’s focused style is toward the new Southern movement of creating immense flavor from fresh local ingredients.


If you dine here and have the seafood, just know they have dozens of combinations and varieties of seafood fixed in many different ways.  Other wonderful entrees, appetizers, and their amazing sides make this a wonderful dining experience.  Please don't forget the grits and the field peas, you'll thank me personally.  Be sure to visit Isle of Palms when in the area, and make a trip to Acme Lowcountry Kitchen, you'll be glad you did, and tell them RouxBDoo sent you.

Sincerely,

RouxBDoo!!!!