We were heading out to the Celtic Crossroads show at EIU tonight and were planning on eating at the Thai place here in Charleston. As we were passing by Two Flowers by the first set of lights in Charleston, Sarah said, “Why don’t we stop in here?” So we did. It turned out to be a good decision.

Two Flowers always has a seasonal menu, and tonight was apparently one of the last nights for the winter menu. We both ended up ordering off it. Sarah started out with African Peanut Soup and I had the Red Pepper Bisque. Both were excellent. For entrees Sarah got the Orange Roughy and I had the Beef Tenderloin and Scallops in Champagne Vanilla Sauce. Sarah’s roughy was very tasty. Not fishy at all and accompanied by a light, but noticeable citrus glaze. My beef was outstanding. It was accompanied by two scallops and a sauce that was like having dessert with dinner. I had a nice glass of cab sauvignon with mine. Once again, great gourmet food right here in Charleston.

Tonight Sarah suggested we try the new place in Charleston, Two Flowers, on the corner of Rt. 16 and Douglas Ave. (First set of lights coming into town.) Two Flowers is a small place within the Worthington Inn. The atmosphere is cozy with a really nice view of the trees across Rt. 16 from the restaurant. It’s going to be a beautiful view in a few weeks when the leaves turn.

We’d had lunch at Two Flowers a week or so ago and it was good, although the service was spotty. No such problems tonight. Chalk it up to opening week. Tonight was the first normal night of serving dinner after the grand opening last night. Luckily for us there were two major functions on campus, so there was no wait at the restaurant.

We opened with the Spinach Dip appetizer. It was very good, although it could have had more bread. We asked for more and the staff was happy to oblige. Let me say again, the service tonight was excellent. For entrees Sarah ordered the Scorpio Grilled Chicken over bowtie pasta with feta and tomato in a Bechamel sauce. I was envious. It was really good. I had the Ribeye, which was also quite good. What made my meal were the smoked potatoes. I can’t explain why, but they were to-die-for. Basically roasted potatoes with a dipping sauce that is pure heaven.  I had two glasses of a great Malbec (very generous pours) which really brought everything together. To top it all off, we split a dark chocolate mousse for dessert. Delicious.

Charleston finally has a gourmet restaurant. Spread the word.

On the way through Indy today we had planned on stopping in for lunch at PF Chang’s, but this being New Year’s Eve, a traditional day to eat Chinese food, it was mobbed. We weren’t willing to wait, so we drove on. Then we spied Istanbul Cafe on 86th Street and saw there was no crowd (in fact, it was deserted), so we stopped in. Sometimes fate deals you a great hand. We had the best lunch there. We both ordered the lunch special for $11. For this you get a choice of soup, salad, or hummus and a choice of various entrees. We both opted for the salad. Sarah picked the Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls and I had the Doner Kebab, which was gyro meat and rice. Both meals came with sautéed vegetables. We also got a very generous basket of hot pitas with oil and garlic for dipping.

First off, the salads were superb. They were nothing special as far as the main ingredients, just field greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers, but the dressing and seasoning were exquisite. The waiter told me it was simply a combination of olive oil, lemon juice, and vinegar, but there was also some very tasty seasoning and they must have just sprayed on the dressing, as it was very lightly applied. The effect was amazing, though. So much taste in so light a salad.

The warm pitas and oil were perfect with the salad and with the meals. Sarah’s cabbage rolls were actually quite good (I don’t normally like cabbage rolls) and my doner kebab was excellent. Very generous portions, too. We both brought home some to enjoy later. And lest I forget, the sautéed vegetables were also very good. Possibly a similar oil/lemon juice combo for sautéing as they used on the salad dressing. As I always try to order a drink from the restaurant’s theme country, I opted for an Efes Turkish Pilsner. It, like the rest of the meal, was perfect. Istanbul Cafe just made our list of favorite places to eat in Indy. Can’t wait to go back.  

Tonight we’re staying at the incredible Amelia Island Plantation. You could spend a week here and never have to leave the property for anything. There are shops and restaurants and a spa right here, as well as a great shuttle service so you don’t have to drive. We took the shuttle tonight down to PLAE (which stands for People Laughing and Eating) for dinner. PLAE was listed as casual dining and as I packed only short and jeans, we needed casual. The atmosphere at PLAE was really a notch or two above casual, but no one gave me any grief about my jeans.

The service at PLAE was outstanding. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive and she knew the menu and specials inside and out. We started off with a Domed Caesar Salad for Sarah and a bowl of Potato Leek Soup for me. The “dome” on Sarah’s salad was some toasted grated cheese over a well prepared Caesar salad. My soup was delicious and also had some sort of cheese added to it. Sarah ordered Snapper with Asiago crust and I went for the Prime Rib special. Sarah’s fish was served over garlic mashed potatoes. My prime rib was huge and came with au gratin potatoes and Yorkshire pudding, which is really more of a popover pastry. I also ordered a wine flight consisting of two California Syrahs and an Australian Shiraz. I was so impressed with the Shiraz that I ordered another glass. My side dishes were really good. The prime rib, which I had requested medium rare, actually was very close to rare, though. It was good, but not at the level of, say, Lawry’s Prime Rib. There was just something a little bit off about it. Sarah’s fish was quite tasty and the presentation was unique, to say the least.

If you stay at Amelia Island Plantation, be prepared to pay High End prices for food. This meal, with tip, ran to $150. Breakfast for two runs between $36 and $40.

Tonight we stopped in for an early dinner at Kofusion on East Main in downtown Champaign. Kofusion’s claim to fame is that they use organic meat and “wild caught seafood.” (As opposed to farm raised seafood, I guess.) Kofusion has a fairly eclectic menu with a strong Asian presence. Sushi is big at Kofusion.

The weather was really nice this afternoon, so we opted to sit outside. If you don’t mind herding flies away from your food, the outside seating at Kofusion is pretty nice. It’s far enough off the street so you don’t really notice the traffic.

We started off by splitting the Goat Cheese salad. The salad was priced at $8, so we were thinking it would be large enough for two. We were wrong. It was more like a side salad you’d get at other places. It was fresh and well-prepared, but it was pretty basic and only had a few crumbles of goat cheese. Definitely not worth $8. Maybe half that.

Sarah ordered Scallops with Sweet Potato, Avocado, Cashews, and Vegetables in a light Massaman Curry. She thought it was delicious, although we were having a hard time finding any sweet potatoes or avocado. Still, it’s something she’d order again. It was that good. I went with the Line Caught Halibut off the specials menu. It was a generous piece of perfectly cooked halibut over sweet corn, green beans, and a delicious white wine sauce. I would also order that again. Very tasty. I took their suggestion and paired it with a Maru Sushi white wine. The wine went perfectly with the fish, although a cliff-diving gnat ruined the last of it for me. I think I like the idea of eating al fresco  better than the actual experience.