Alison C.
Yelp
Jasmine Porch was the main restaurant in The Sanctuary, the lone and spectacular hotel located on the private, residential, Kiawah Island. When we arrived on the island, there was a gatekeeper asking where we were headed. At the time, we were unaware that the island was private, but I knew that Jasmine Porch was a restaurant located there, so I threw out the name. Well, that did it; we were granted access to the remote island full of golf courses, luxury homes, and the elegant resort housing the restaurant we wound up at for lunch.
Though there was a patio with views of their pool and gardens, all of the tables were unfortunately taken, so we sat inside instead. The large dining room was elegantly appointed with gingham drapes and wooden tables with upholstered chairs. The lack of a view was redeemed by our incredible server, Asanti, that made us feel like royalty and humored us by catering to our customization requests. She presented us with a basket that contained two moist buttermilk biscuits, a large cracker sheet that tasted like a giant saltine, an herbaceous rosemary butter, and a creamy pimento cheese spread. Though pimento is not my favorite, this smear tasted great on the biscuit. I enjoyed the bread with a mug of rich, bold coffee and awaited my main dish.
I was able to get my Shrimp Po'Boy grilled, rather than fried (sacrilegious, I know), and each shrimp was plump and perfectly seasoned. The generous portion of shellfish was sprinkled across a long, brioche roll along with arugula, a thin layer of Cajun remoulade, and diced tomatoes. I opted to pair my sandwich with a side salad with balsamic vinaigrette and a pickle. My boyfriend, on the other hand, selected fries as the accompaniment to his burger. I thought his potatoes could have used a bit more salt, but he enjoyed both them and his hamburger.
When it was time to leave, Asanti gave us each a bottle of water to take with us, as well as a quick overview of the island and what we were able to visit with our temporary guest statuses.
Kiawah Island was a hidden gem that we were thrilled to discover, and Jasmine Porch was another jewel we were able to unearth. It was definitely worth the 45-minute drive from Charleston to find this slice of elegance.