Regina S.
Yelp
Wow, just wow. After sampling some of the dishes, I told Matt, the owner and chef, that I was so happy I wanted to cry. He said "don't start, or I will too." I cannot stress how much this area needed a place like Blacksheep - small, focused, friendly, unpretentious with an incredibly diverse menu all prepared by Matt using only the freshest most seasonal ingredients. Dining out in Beaufort has become a mundane and boring undertaking. No matter whether it's fine dining or casual, the offerings are dull, similar in scope and ingredients and often executed with no consistency.
Not here. The attention to detail is superb. The preparations are so creative and adventurous that dining here truly becomes a culinary dive into a luscious pool of artistry, unique flavors, ingredients, and combinations. We loved that there were only eight savory menu options and two desserts. Matt mentioned that the menu will change weekly. WHAT? A revolutionary idea in the Beaufort cooking scene, and a reason to come back time and time again.
The pricing is reasonable, $40 price fix for three choices off the menu. Often times, the portions tend to be quite small in venues following this system, but not at The Blacksheep.
We followed the advice on their website and decided to order six different items so we could sample as much of the menu as possible. My partner started with a curried crab, toasted coconut, sweet corn soup with lime and popcorn. I ventured for the monkfish, raw, with citrus, sweet peppers, green cilantro oil and radish. Matt delivered our dishes and explained each one. A great touch. With each bite, our eyes became like saucers, as the incredible flavor profile of each plate was a surprising and welcome blend of ingredients. The pool of citrus sauce consisted of orange, lemon and lime. Somehow my palate could distinguish each of the fruits and delivered the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Combined with the other ingredients, the fresh delicate monkfish shined. The soup base was like silk, but when mixed with the other add ons became an interesting juxtaposition of creamy and crunch.
Our next selections included a mushroom Parmesan fondue with sourdough toast and thyme, creamed corn, squash, zucchini, basil vinaigrette and smoked almonds, two meaty pork ribs with baked beans, pickled peaches, and pickled peach mustard, ranch spiced yogurt chicken thigh with celery salad and chili oil and finally, a chocolate pot de creme with coffee beans and cream. I could write an essay about the interesting and unique flavor combinations and the incredible attention to detail that was given to every component of a dish, but my review would go on and on. Suffice to say, that this is one of the best meals we have enjoyed in a very long time, and this place is a jewel in an otherwise tarnished crown of local dining choices. And we cannot wait to go back! Thank you Matt and Krista for giving us such a great culinary adventure!