Shrimp at Acme Lowcountry Kitchen; Escargot at Bistro Toulouse

Charleston Scene critic Hanna Raskin journeys to Isle of Palms to discover "startling good renditions" of Southern and seafood favorites at Acme Lowcountry Kitchen. Family-friendly and featuring $3.50 shots of Fireball, the beach bar captivates Raskin with its laid-back atmosphere and preparations of "Charleston colloquial cuisine." She doesn't recommend the steak or fried chicken, but stick to dishes from the sea (especially the shrimp and grits), and you'll be safe.

City Paper sends writer Allston McCrady to investigate Bistro Toulouse in Mount Pleasant. She finds that even though the owners, Candice Mahala and Matthew Schulz, aren't French, they know their way around escargot and cassoulet. The establishment is located in a strip mall, but McCrady says, "Apart from the line of Toulouse-Lautrec prints on the wall, you would not peg this for a French restaurant. That is, until the food arrives."