R Kitchen

Downtown Charleston, located on 212 Rutlegde Ave sits R Kitchen— a Chef run and owned kitchen. R Kitchen is not the traditional restaurant setting, here the chefs cooking your delicious 5 course meal are also the ones who are serving you. They walk you through the menu for the evening and the choices they made in creating it.

“Our five course tasting menu is recreated every day by combining seasonal ingredients with the inspiration and imagination of our chefs”

This was our second trip into R Kitchen, their team has done an incredible job of curating the menu both times and neither had overlap though months apart. They work with local produce vendors and inspiration from each other to keep things unique and fresh. No two meals here are the same, the Chefs here produce a one-of-a-kind-experience upon each visit.

Know Ur Peas

There’s something exciting about going out and not knowing what you’re going to order… but R Kitchen takes the joy of going out to the next level, not allowing the guests to see the menu before they arrive or pick any of their courses.

The first course was a soup, and while it may seem simple— the depth in the flavors they create are outstanding. And while you cannot order like in most restaurant settings, the kitchen does take into consideration any food allergies, aversions or other dietary restrictions.

Tommy Boy

Course two was composed of slightly dehydrated tomatoes (so their flavor was more concentrated), quick pickled cucumbers done with a thyme syrup, parmesan, citrus and seasoned breadcrumbs and a tomato vinaigrette to finish it off.

Pork

Pork, puréed cauliflower, sautéed zucchini and a gravy/au jus that would have you licking your plate and begging for more… The only downside to their five course tasting menu is just that—it’s only a taste.

Gratin

It’s hard to pick a favorite course until something like this hits the table in front of you… Steak tips marinated in soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. A bite that cut through the rich béchamel draped on the crispy gratin potatoes this course was named for.

Jello

Their last course, Jello, was inspired by flan. Beautifully shaped custards served up with notes of vanilla, lemon, and blueberry. They worked to make each bite all night interesting, playing with flavors and textures to keep your tastebuds on their toes.

The chefs creating a meal that will leave a lasting impression, so grateful to get to spend a evening with them in R Kitchen; and not just in another downtown restaurant.