Charleston native Mark Steuer, who was Mindy Segal’s longtime executive chef at Hot Chocolate, got his start at Brett McKee’s Brett’s in James Island, South Carolina. At The Bedford, he’s been a chef with a pretty good contemporary restaurant, waiting for a chance to break out with the restaurant in his heart that would return him to his roots. Fortunately, he has partners who were sympathetic to this idea, which is about to result in The Carriage House, Steuer’s lowcountry Southern spot coming soon to Wicker Park. We think The Carriage House will raise the bar on local Southern-influenced food, with its focus on a particular region— the Carolinas— whose coastal seafood-oriented cuisine has been less represented here than that of parts like Mississippi which have had more traditional ties to Chicago. And we’ve got the opening menu for below, and an opening date— Tuesday, September 18. But before that, we’ve got a chance for you to preview the food next week at The Bedford, and win an invite for a friends and family preview. It’s The Bedford’s monthly Gong Show Karaoke night, next Monday; the judges will be Carriage House staff, and besides getting a chance to preview some Carriage House dishes, the highest scoring performers will win an invite to a preview dinner. There will also be Templeton Rye cocktails from The Bedford and Carriage House’s mixologist, Michael Simon. The karaoke is a late night event, this Monday at 10:30 p.m.; in the meantime, check out the menu below.
Traditional
Carriage House biscuits with smoked apple butter ($5)
Lowcountry oyster roast with cheek bacon, tomato jam, buttermilk aïoli and crispy leeks ($12)
Refreshing cucumber salad with muskmelon, Vidalia onion, scallions, cane syrup vinaigrette and sea salt ($8)
My favorite slaw with cabbage, carrots, red onions, bitter greens, creamy cider dressing, cracklins and candied peanuts ($6)
Charleston she-crab soup with drop biscuit, crab salad and sherry gastrique ($10)
South Carolina clam boil with tasso ham, Vidalia onions, fennel, hard cider, tarragon butter and grilled Pullman loaf ($14)
Shrimp and grits with South Carolina shrimp, heirloom grits and hunter gravy ($13)
Fried chicken leg with bread and butter pickles, house hot sauce and local honey ($11)
Picnic board with shaved country ham, pimento cheese, pickles, pickled eggs, bourbon mustard and cornbread ($17)
Re-imagined
Skillet cornbread with foie gras butter, nectarine marmalade and bourbon smoked salt ($8)
Pork belly with confit apple, crispy pig ears, corn nuts, butter lettuce and hot pepper vinaigrette ($10)
Baked grits with roasted wild mushrooms, truffle vinaigrette, coddled farm egg and Thomasville Tomme ($13)
Carolina Gold rice balls with pimento cheese, sweet potato puree, smoked pork neck gravy and pickled cabbage ($13)
Pork and beans with ham hock, yellow eye bean succotash, soft egg, okra pickles and Creole mustard vinaigrette ($12)
Crispy golden tilefish with charred leeks, Sungold chow chow, grilled zucchini and béarnaise ($15)
Pheasant with black pepper dumpling, Vidalia soubise and mire poix pickle relish ($18)
Supper
Carolina grouper with purple cape beans, collards, apple, bacon and potlikker jus ($27)
Crispy pork shoulder with grits, pickled peppers, smoked nectarines, pork jus and celery hearts ($30)
Lowcountry boil with Carolina shrimp, clams, rabbit chaurice sausage, sweet corn, red potatoes and grilled lemon ($32)
Ribeye with smoked salt, Asher blue cheese, marinated heirloom tomato, grilled chicory and hot pepper vinegar ($45)
Sweets
Pear cobbler with gingerbread crust and sorghum sweet cream ($8)
Beignets with powdered sugar, coffee hot fudge, and café au lait froth ($8)
Praline pecan sundae, bourbon caramel, butter-pecan ice cream, brown sugar shortbread ($8)
The Carriage House, 1700 W. Division,773-384-9700.
