2 weeks Ago
I suspected I was going to like The Archer as soon as I peeked at the beverage menu. There’s at least one unusual element in each of the cocktails (all $14), and often it’s vegetal. There’s roasted bell pepper in the Remember Sarah Marshall, tomato alongside basil and peach in the Talking in Cursive, and charred corn in the See You on the Other Size.
If you’re going to put weird stuff like that in cocktails, they had better be really good cocktails. And The Archer’s are. That charred corn plus a dose of coconut cream give the bourbon-based Other Side a rich, sweet body and a mild chili bite.
The Freezer Door Martini finishes with a pleasant slickness thanks to a dose of olive oil, and brown butter has a similar effect in the Accidental Daiquiri, which is made from tequila instead of the usual rum. Similar bold twists are found on the nine small plates that open the menu. Tender cubes of steak tartare ($17) are pressed into a baseball-sized mound then blanketed with what appears to be Parmesan but proves to be shaved horseradish.
Those wispy shreds impart a strong, spicy zip, and the tender beef underneath is enrobed in creamy peppercorn aioli with a bright citrusy finish. New neighborhood tavern opens in Charleston near the Ravenel Bridge. Here's what to expect.
Cocktails and appetizers converge in the G&T salmon crudo ($16). The G is for gin-cured salmon, and the T is for lemon-pepper tonic from local “sodary” Sweatman’s Garden . I suppose the tonic functions as a sort of dressing, but its flavor lurks subtly in the background.
Out front is the clean, soft salmon and the crisp bite of cucumber. Both are diced into precise half-inch cubes and blended in roughly equal proportions, creating an orange and green assemblage that’s as lovely in flavor as it is in color. The Archer is the second restaurant from Marc and Liz Hudacsko, the couple behind Berkeley’s in Wagner Terrace .
It opened in August in the ground-floor space in the Meeting Street Lofts building that formerly housed Gale . The new décor is striking but a little hard to characterize. The front window is adorned with a white and orange art deco logo that seems straight off a pulp novel cover.
Red leather-capped barstools and U-shaped counter seats continue the retro Edward Hopper vibe. The Archer burger is served at The Archer, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Charleston.
The wallpaper above the bar, though, is adorned with frolicking rabbits and squirrels straight from a woodlands fable. Other walls are packed all the way to the high ceiling with framed paintings, posters and clocks — a throwback vibe of a different sort, more to the Victorian era. Against all that, aggressive hip-hop thumps down from the speakers.
The overall effect is a room that’s detached from any specific time and place but has plenty of mood and energy. It’s also hard to buttonhole a single culinary style for The Archer. There are upscale comfort dishes — a braised short rib ($32), roasted half chicken ($28), a big burger draped in gooey Parmesan cream ($18).
They’re balanced by preparations that seem more in the farm-to-table mode, like crisp fried eggplant with whipped buttermilk ($13) and charred cabbage fried schnitzel style ($24). Our food editor's 5 favorite Charleston-area restaurants to enjoy in November A big pizza oven is front and center in the kitchen, inherited from the previous tenant, but there’s no pizza on the menu. It’s used instead for roasting fish and charring florets of broccoli and cauliflower.
Classic sauces like bearnaise and au poivre are joined by more contemporary finishes, like Thai chili garlic butter on the baked oysters ($20) and red daubs of cumin-laced harissa supporting the lamb and potato croquettes ($5 each.) Those croquettes, by the way, are a delight. Inside the thick, golden brown crust, creamy mashed potatoes are dotted with bits of savory lamb.
Each is topped with a scoop of pickled mustard and bright yellow turmeric-pickled scallions, which are brilliantly bright in flavor, too. The larger plates aren’t always so consistently brilliant. Beneath a spray of microgreens, a filet of oven-roasted grouper ($32) hits with a big blast of butter and salt.
It gets some much needed support, though, from florets of lightly charred cauliflower and a thick, flavorful celery root puree. CUISINE : Modern American REPRESENTATIVE DISH : Duck frites ADDRESS : 601 Meeting St., downtown Charleston PHONE : 843-737-5162 BAR : Full bar WEB : thearchercharleston.
com DINING ROOM HOURS : 4 p.m.-midnight Monday; 4 p.
m.-midnight Wednesday through Friday; 11 a.m.
-midnight Saturday-Sunday PRICE : $$$ COSTS : $5-$32 PARKING : Two hours of free parking in the attached Meeting Street Lofts garage There’s nothing really wrong with the roasted half chicken ($28), which is layered over a mound of mashed potatoes and finished with dark brown jus. The white meat of the breast is a touch dry, but the leg has a pleasant dark flavor. The plate just doesn’t soar, and once the palate is primed by the big wows of the small plates, it wants everything to soar.
The seared duck frites ($31) comes to the rescue. It somehow manages to be simple, elegant, comforting and exciting all at the same time. Eight slices of rosy duck breast are fanned out around one side of the plate then smothered in a dark brown sauce.
It’s billed as “citrus jus” but seems more a thick, starchy gravy. Either way, it’s perfect against the tender richness of the duck. Roasted Grouper is served at The Archer, Thursday, Oct.
24, 2024, in Charleston. There’s nothing particularly special about the long, skinny fries that come alongside — until you start dipping them into the little ramekin of yellow béarnaise sauce, which has a wonderful surge of tarragon and sparkling kiss of acid. There’s lots more duck to be had on the duck confit salad ($16), and it really shines there, too.
The silky shreds are tucked inside a pile of chopped bitter lettuces that are slick with duck fat vinaigrette. Perched on top is a single poached duck egg, which upon slicing sends a gush of yellow yolk that adds even more richness to the bowl. As if that weren’t enough, there are also Hawaiian roll croutons — crisp but still soft in texture, dark and sweet in flavor — and wonderfully tart pickled shallots.
It’s a fantastic salad. Duck confit salad is served at The Archer, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Charleston.
With lots of cherry and earthy notes, a glass of chilled Limited Addition Red Crush ($16 glass/$64 bottle) is an excellent accompaniment for either of the duck plates. There are many other gems on the short, naturally-focused wine list, too. The Winnings Riesling ($12/$48) has only a touch of melon sweetness and lots of citrus acidity.
The No Es Pituko, an unfiltered Chilean Chardonnay ($11/$44), plays against type with a dry, minerally finish instead of the expected buttery oak. The Wonderwerk Big Orange ($14/$70) almost glows with citrus up front then finishes as bitter as an orange peel. I could go on about the many other things I like about The Archer.
The portions are big and the prices moderate (for 2024, at least.) The service strikes a deft balance between professional efficiency and casual friendliness. But I do need to save room for some mousse.
The Archer is quite adept at mousses, whether they’re savory or sweet. The chicken liver variety ($12) delivers a master class in layering, with a slice of crisp but not crunchy sourdough on the bottom then a smear of smooth, earthy mousse then, at the end, the pop of balsamic drizzles and the snap of tiny microgreens. Chicken liver mousse is served at The Archer, Thursday, Oct.
24, 2024, in Charleston. Small plates, bold ingredients. Our thoughts after revisiting a Spanish eatery in Charleston.
At the other end of the spectrum is the chocolate mousse ($11), and it’s equally worth attention. Earlier this year in a Charleston's Menu newsletter column , I commented on how many local restaurants are embracing chocolate mousse these days, though they tend to dispense with the dessert’s old frilly trappings — the elegant glassware and the precise piping of whipped cream. The Archer’s presentation ($11) might be the most unartful I’ve seen yet.
A misshapen pile of dark brown mousse is scooped onto a plain white plate, then a white wave of whipped cream is sent cascading haphazardly over the top. Whoever said “You eat with your eyes first,” though, must never have tried this dessert. More thick, rich pudding that fluffy whipped mousse, it has a deep, luxurious chocolate flavor that’s balanced perfectly by the lightness of the whipped cream.
Crumbles of hazelnut brittle bring things to a perfect sweet, popping finish. I have no idea what the Hudacskos and team were aiming for when they set out to create The Archer, but they certainly seem to have hit the target. Bold but comforting plates, odd but delightful cocktails and wines, a small dining room that feels relaxing and high energy all at the same time — it’s a splendid balancing act and a fine addition to our ever-evolving downtown dining scene.
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