Chad S.
Yelp
Was excited to try this new addition to the neighborhood. Hospitality and customer service were excellent, however, they will need to find a new chef for a menu overhaul. I had made a reservation two weeks out via email (at the time the only way to get a reservation) and it was determined after 4 emails and 5 days later that I could get a table at 7:45pm for a party of 5. The day prior, I received a text from Resy confirming a reservation at 5:30pm instead. Upon checking with the restaurant midday of the reservation, they simply asked when would you like eat and accommodated a 7pm request. The restaurant was half full the night we ate here. Simply making a reservation took more effort than it was worth.
This was one of the most overpriced subpar meals I have eaten in quite some time. It appears to have a feeling that Auberge hired a "chef" to design the menu while it is executed by someone who knows very little about food prep. We ordered raw oysters, summer salad, and the bread for starters. The oysters came with a decent mignonette. However, we requested some horseradish and were brought a small dish of tabasco as there wasn't anything else in house. $9 for bread and butter is ridiculous and it's simply just bread. Four sprinkles of Bulls Bay salt doesn't warrant the high price tag. The summer salad was full of unripened crunchy peaches and tasteless cherry tomatoes. I live locally and there are many good tomatoes and peaches right now including at Rosebank Farms at the front of the neighborhood. I would recommend Rosebank Farms and their frozen meals and produce over any of the dishes at Linnette's. The cornmeal crusted flounder came to the table soggy as the shrimp creole was poured onto the flounder and appeared to have set in the window while the other dishes were being prepared. The bed of red beans that accompanied the tile fish was tasteless and overcooked. The braised greens consisted of 3 nickel size pieces of leaves mixed in with the tasteless red beans. The crispy potatoes served along side the bavette tasted of soggy tater tots from the McDonalds breakfast menu. A side of charred okra consisted of 3 large pieces of okra that were overly ripened. If you know what this means, you might as well try eating toothpicks. Upon bringing this to the attention of our server, it was explain we were the second or third table this evening that had said something about the dish. You would think after the first bit of feedback, the issue would be fixed. It is easy to determine if the okra is inedible by simply looking at it and even by touching it before putting it on the grill. Again, the overall prep of the food did not have the sense it was being done by a chef. All drinks (tea, soda, etc) are $5 with no refills. They ran out of clean drink glasses and due to a language barrier as it was explained with the dishwasher, our refill was delivered in a smaller water glass. They were running a special where the kids dishes (minnows menu) were to be complimentary through Labor Day weekend, but each dish was $12 and was not complimentary on the final bill. Two butter pasta dishes were ordered and no complaints here other than it was requested without the Parmesan on top and both come with it on top. We did not bring this to the attention of the staff. All in all, this mediocre meal at best cost a total of $370. I do not have an issue paying for good quality food. There are many other restaurants in the Charleston area worth your attention over this place for less money. My recommendation is to let the hotel guests pay for this overpriced menu. Maybe it will keep some reservations open at more deserving restaurants us locals can visit.
