Gene Finkler
Google
I am not in the habit of writing negative reviews, but our recent visit to Five Loaves Cafe in Charleston, SC, was so disappointing that I felt compelled to share our experience. We were looking forward to enjoying some local fare, but unfortunately, everything we ordered fell short of expectations. We started with the potato, broccoli and cheddar soup, which at first glance lacked the shine that cheese typically gives. Upon tasting, I realized the chef had added instant mashed potatoes, which took the soup to a whole new level of unpleasant. I understand that every chef has their own interpretation, but this was not a successful one. My wife's kale salad with berries was another letdown. The kale was tough and unappealing, as it hadn't been massaged to make it tender, and the hard stems were left intact. The dressing was overwhelmingly vinegary, overpowering any other flavors. My father-in-law ordered the flounder dish and claimed it was fine, so we'll take his word for it. However, my eggplant parmesan was a disappointment. It consisted of two breaded eggplant rounds with no sign of a proper tomato basil sauce. Instead, it tasted like undercooked tomato sauce with dried basil shavings. A good sauce should be simmered for hours to develop the rich aroma of cooked-down tomatoes and fresh basil, but this was far from it. Overall, our experience at Five Loaves Cafe was awful. We were hoping to find a charming local cafe, but this turned out to be our first negative dining experience in Charleston. We hope this was an off day for the restaurant, but unfortunately, it left us with a sour taste.