FIG Food is Very Good

I FINALLY got to eat at FIG last weekend when my parents came to town (read: they were footing the bill).  It only took me a year of living here.  It was worth the wait.  Everything – the food, the waitstaff, the ambience – was perfection.  FIG stands for Food is Good and, boy, was it ever.  We opted to get 4 appetizers, 2 main dishes, and a dessert.

For round 1, we got the nine vegetable salad, the tomato tart tatin, chicken liver pate, and ricotta gnocchi with bolognese. They were all delicious, but the tomato tart tatin and ricotta gnocchi were especially scrumptious.  The tomato tart didn’t look all that appetizing (kind of like a giant beet) but oh man it was awesome, and it came with a light goat cheese that tasted whipped.  I did wish the dressing on the vegetable salad was a little lighter, like a vinaigrette.

For our main dishes, we got the mustard crusted swordfish and the pork schnitzel.  I was looking forward to the schnitzel mostly, but the swordfish stole the show.  It was awesome.  The schnitzel was flavorful but wasn’t really a schnitzel (too thick).  The potato puree served with the swordfish was to die for.

Now, for dessert.  Normally, I’m not a big dessert person, much to my mother’s horror.  I would prefer to ask the waiter for another bread basket and butter.  (BTW FIG gets their bread locally from Normandy Farm Bakery, and it was delicious.)  But when we heard this dessert option, we knew we had to try it: vanilla malt cake topped with roasted banana ice cream and buttered rum.  OH MY.  This was the best thing we had all night.  Coming from a non-dessert person, that’s high praise.  Mom, if you are reading this, have you emailed them for the recipe yet???

All in all, this meal was perfection.  We spent a few hours here and were not rushed at all.  We had delicious cocktails, some wine, and after dinner drinks.  Then, we went home to watch our LSU Tigers win!  Perfect night.

Here is a pic of my darling parents.

FIG will now be my top recommended spot for anyone looking for fine dining in downtown Charleston.