Charcoal Garden Bar and Grill
When you think of a restaurant you wouldn’t normally think of shipping containers, right? Well now you will… Charcoal Garden Bar and Grill is the first full-service restaurant in the country built entirely out of modified shipping containers, and it’s right in our backyard! Welcome to the Wynwood Yard family, Charcoal! Ken Lyon is the mastermind behind this concept. He is creating dishes made with a very special Josper Grill, which gives each dish it’s distinct flavor. I was lucky enough to attend a media tasting and get a look at this unique concept for a restaurant.
There were plenty of dishes to sample at the tasting! I love variety! One of the dishes was an array of greens, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and carrots mixed with grains. This side dish may look simple but it was honestly delicious! I could eat this on its own. Great start, Charcoal.
For the proteins we had different plates to chose from. The first one brought out was the branzino. Cooked to perfection with its crispy skin, this dish was a hit with the guests. But be careful! Be weary of the spines when eating the fish!
Other protein served was grilled chicken. Choose between white or dark meat, the results were still outstanding! The chicken was tender and juicy, and the crispy skin was delicious as well.
My favorite of the proteins was the grilled steak. Just look at this plate! Cooked perfectly… not dry or under seasoned at all. This was the best thing in my mouth. Absolutely juicy. Every bite was bursting with flavor, whether you got the medium cuts or well-done ends. I’d eat all of it if I could! That Josper Grill really does make a difference at Charcoals.
Now for more side dishes… I normally am not a fan of mushrooms. There’s something about their slimey texture that just doesn’t do it for me. But this mushroom dish at Charcoal was something I just couldn’t pass up on. In fact, I’d eat the dish on its own! I don’t know how they seasoned it, but it was perfect. The mushrooms were absolutely delicious! I would go back to order this side dish.
Ahhh my favorite item of the night! Cornbread! This buttery deliciousness had every guest wanting a second helping. Just by the looks of it you want to eat it all! Unfortunately, we had to share. The cornbread was so perfectly moist. There has to be something about those Josper grills that creates some amazing flavors. I recommend ordering your own when you go to Charcoal because, believe me, you’re not gonna wanna share this baby!
Dessert time! You thought we’d be full by now, huh? Well you know I always make room for dessert, even if my pants are about to pop. This delicious pudding-like dessert was pleasantly reminiscent of key lime pie to me. Which is why I loved it. The pudding was topped with raisins of all kinds and a crunchy biscuit. Loved the different combination of textures and flavors.
Who doesn’t love chocolate cake? You can never go wrong with a classic like this. And this flourless chocolate cake from Charcoal was no exception. The warm, thick cake went perfectly with the caramel ice cream and dulce de leche cream. So many classic flavors in one dish, combined to form an amazing dessert. Can’t wait to see Charcoal Garden Bar and Grill prosper, and I can’t wait to go back and stuff my face!
