Great Flavors, But a Disappointing First Visit 😕🍽️

For years, we’ve watched Vivian Howard’s A Chef’s Life on PBS, so we were thrilled when her restaurant, Lenoir, opened in Charleston, SC. We decided to skip cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year and dress up for an elegant meal at Lenoir instead. The restaurant, located on the ground floor of the Renaissance Hotel, is beautifully designed. With a central bar that doesn’t intrude, well-spaced tables, high ceilings, and modern lattice accents, the atmosphere was lovely. 🍁✨ Since it was Thanksgiving, we knew in advance it was a fixed menu—no time spent deciding what to order! A printed menu on the table described each of the three courses. We were seated right away for our 5 PM reservation, with the restaurant still fairly quiet. A friendly server greeted us promptly. After reviewing the drink menu, we chose two signature cocktails. We asked if one could be made with gin instead of vodka but were told they’re pre-batched, so no changes were possible. A bit surprising given a bartender was present, but no big deal. The drinks were delicious and unique when they finally arrived—though not until after our starter. 🍸⏳ The apple, leek, and lentil soup with bacon and buttermilk was rich and flavorful—a dish we’d happily order again. Our main courses were served family-style, and the flavors truly stood out: pecan-cranberry sauce, sage cornbread stuffing, sweet potato mash, and skillet-roasted vegetables were all exceptional. A layered root vegetable “Napoleon” was especially creative and delicious. 🥘👌 But the turkey, though tender and moist, was served at room temperature. The gravy had already started to congeal on the cool plate. Since everything was shared family-style, we didn’t realize it until we served ourselves. We didn’t want to send it back and disrupt the meal, so we ate it as it was—enjoying the flavors but disappointed by the temperature. ❄️🦃 Dessert was a highlight: the carrot cake was superb, and their house-made coffee was a perfect finish. ☕🥕 However, by the time we walked to our car, the clock showed 6:02 PM. We’d arrived at 5. For a fine dining Thanksgiving experience downtown, that felt rushed. With a slower pace, we might have enjoyed it even more. #LenoirCharleston #VivianHoward #ThanksgivingDinner #MixedExperience #GreatFlavorsBut #RoomTemperatureTurkey #FineDining