Good Lunches in Charleston

For some reason, I never really blog about the food I eat out at restaurants. I think its partly because there's a fine line between being a food blogger and trying to be some amateur-ish food critic, which is exactly what I don't want to be.  I'm not trying to go out to a restaurant and pick apart the food and draw attention to myself by taking pictures and whatnot.  I just want to go out and enjoy a good bite to eat.

That being said, I have taken a couple pictures of some lunches I've really enjoyed lately.  These were at places casual enough that I didn't feel like a jerk for snapping a couple shots.

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This is a cheese and meat plate at Caviar & Bananas, a little gourmet food shop downtown.  I went in by myself, really just craving a simple lunch, and asked the guy behind the counter put together a simple plate for me.  I told him I really just wanted a nice cheese and meat plate, and that I didn't like blue cheese, and I would pay whatever he asked if he would just pick the cheeses and stuff for me. 

This is what I got!  Not really sure of the names of the cheeses anymore, but I know there was a brie-style cheese, a simple goat cheese, and the third was a little more firm and sharp.  I got prosciutto, and I think some sort of speck.  Honeycomb, fig jam, candied walnuts, almonds, and fruit.  I ended up paying something like $12 for the plate, which was totally worth it.  Along with a little half bottle of white wine, this was the perfect little lunch for one.

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 This burger came from Sesame Burgers & Beer, which has 2 locations, one at the Citadel Mall in West Ashley, and the other in Park Circle in N. Chas.  I've eaten at both locations, and while both are awesome, I prefer the dive-bar feel of the Park Circle one. 

Their menu is set up so that you can design your own burger.  This one came out a perfect medium rare, with bacon, tomato, mozzarella, and basil mayo. It was delicious.  I had one of their turkey burgers recently, and it was equally delicious, but without as much of a guilt factor.

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Lastly, I was super impressed upon discovering the hot dogs at Tin Roof in Avondale, right around the corner from where I live.  I love a good dive bar, and yet somehow I've only been here for drinks once or twice before.  Their hot dogs are enormous, as in, you can barely eat the whole thing, and they're only $5!  This one was called something like the Texas BBQ dog - it had BBQ sauce, french fries, and cheese on it.  Plus, they have a little stage and host local bands on a pretty regular basis.  It's a badass little bar, and I'm going to start going there a lot more often.