Restaurant News: Phakis Restaurant Group Collapse

Rodney Scott BBQ in Charleston closed this past Sunday, and so many of you have contacted me about this that I must address it! It was not a surprise, but nevertheless I’ll miss it too.

This restaurant is actually just one symptom of the largest restaurant news in the South this week: the collapse/restructuring of Phakis Restaurant Group, which was the parent company of Rodney Scott BBQ. Things are still coming to light, but there is some solid reporting out there that can give you more of the complete story.

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Eye Candy: I have lost one of my creative north stars, and I am beginning this week with this section to ensure ALL can see her no matter your subscription status.

The dear artist Leigh Magar has died. I first met … wait … became a fan girl of her through her hats. They were available at Barney’s in New York, and clients included Nick Cave, Michael Stipe, Elvis Costello, and Padma Lakshmi. I was never among that number, but I was enamored by her presence, her decade-defying designs, her understanding of her artistic vision and the ability to stick to it.

Over the years, we began to form a quiet friendship. If you knew Leigh, she was like a songbird who’d visit the feeders: distinctive, generous with song, and fleeting. When one day years ago, I got invited to her Johns Island enclave, I never forgot it. The mix of art, miniature collections of everything from feathers to quilts, and the modern architecture of she and Johnny’s home just thrilled my collector’s soul.

She helped me own my eccentricities a bit more. She made me a “go away” doll (voodoo was too harsh) when I had bad neighbors. I tutored her through the pandemic via zoom to practice her public speaking for her Smithsonian workshops. And we quietly met on park benches in the historic district or at random parking lots to exchange indigo scraps and philosophies. We texted a lot of blue hearts. She was featured in the New York Times in 2024. And now she’s gone.

She taught me that art was living, not a product of it. She was the master of the pivot, and each time I’d side eye the move, she stared straight ahead. She was on her own path, and our barely intertwined one changed my life forever. Love you Leigh. You are blue heart inspiration of the tidal creeks in autumn when they reflect the changing sky like faded denim. Like indigo. Like you.

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Ceasar salads have become cool again, and while yes, they still are a go-to choice at Carrabba’s, I’m referencing the national independent restaurant trend where the lettuce is obscured by a layer of freshly grated cheese that envelops the top and is not tossed in.

These wide bowls are decidedly cheese-forward instead of romaine-forward, and this new set for the classic salad has it moving from a lunch entree into often a shared appetizer or salad course. I watched a server walk through the dining room at Late Air in Savannah this past fall with one to deliver to the table, and the other diners in the restaurant locked in like a plate of sizzling fajitas was passing by. Three more orders for the salad quickly came through as kitchen tickets.

But it’s not just the salad. Fluffy, over the top parmesan cheese — a form of sensible luxury — is showing up other places too. Case in point: the fluffy chips on the snacks menu at Seahorse in Charleston. My perfect pairing with them is with a gin martini and friends.

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The season only lasts for a few weeks, and therefore the chefs have to have their preparations dialed in when the news hits that softies are available. I have punched two tickets so far this season: a softie-topped Caesar at Delaney Oyster House, and a tempura battered sculptural softie resting in a beurre blanc sauce studded with trout roe and caviar at La Cave.

What’s in my glass: Well, Cola, SC, you sure filled my glass last night!

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My preferred seat is the chef’s counter, and last time I dined at the restaurant, so were Eric Ripert and his team. The kitchen had been alerted to his reservation, and all the staff brought in every Ripert book they owned. After the meal, he graciously signed each one while standing at the chef’s counter. To me, this illustrated Merci’s all around commitment to cooking as well as Eric’s kindness, and I was thrilled to be an observer of it all.

What to order if you score a coveted reservation soon: The pea salad. This is last year’s photo. The mandoline work alone on this was impressive, and the green goddess dressing and goat cheese added depth to the bright, punchy green pea flavor.

What’s in my glass: It’s officially rosé season. And while I will admit to buying the chicken one sometimes on a grocery run (IYKYK), it does not show off the best qualities of this varietal. For that, I look to Grape Abduction Rosé from Slovenia by winemaker Peter Gönc. It has a deeper pink color, flavors of berry and violet, and yet still that healthy acidity I love. And it retails usually around $20-25 a bottle.

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Current kitchen gadget crush: Starting off strong with a kitchen essential, my JBL Go 3. This small but mighty bluetooth speaker was recommended to me and has been the best one I’ve owned yet for sound quality and projection. Having a sound track while cooking is really important to my enjoyment of it, and at the moment, Winyah’s Pink + White song is on all my spring playlists.

Side note: I am really hoping to see them next Saturday at High Water Festival, but the full price for that one-day ticket is not in my current budget. Open to any leads for individuals selling tickets or … ? I’m not a music festival pro, so any advice is appreciated.

Neutral palate? I never knew her

I’m loving this past-its-prime azalea blossom palette of camel brown and pink that I spied on a walk this week:

Yes to this color combo that has been around Charleston since 1712. And less slate grey, house flippers, if you please.