Most reader requests I receive are from folks in search of recipes from their favorite old restaurants that closed way back in the day. This one is about a place at Charleston Town Center that we lost only recently.
“Dear Steve, one of the things I miss most about the menu of the recently closed Tidewater Restaurant is the shrimp,” wrote Amy Haden Davis of Charleston. “Tidewater served its boil ‘n' eat shrimp with a dipping sauce that had a wonderful flavor.”
She said the sauce was spicy and pale green, reminding her of something along the lines of a Green Goddess dressing or remoulade.
“The Tidewater dipping sauce is something that I have tried, to no avail, to reproduce at home,” she continued. “Years ago, one of the waitresses confessed to me that Tidewater used McCormick Jerk Seasoning, so for many years I tried it with a variety of bases like mayonnaise, sour cream and even plain Greek Yogurt to try to reproduce this delicious sauce. But my sauces have been a poor substitute for the real deal.”
She was hoping I could snag the recipe for her to use with a pound or two of frozen shrimp she plans to bring back from an pending beach trip.
“Can you indulge my nostalgia for this tasty sauce and find the recipe?”
Indeed I can!
I’ve collected lots of inside sources through the years who have either owned, managed or cooked in local restaurants, so I can often go straight to the source to dig up recipes like this one.
In this case, I’m relying on a regular contributor to local online restaurant review pages, who has reached out to Tidewater owner MainStreet Ventures to track down recipes on several occasions.
“I wrote to MainStreet Ventures directly and asked for this recipe,” Tara Brooke Smith posted earlier this year, “so here is the infamous jerk shrimp sauce.” She went on to note that they usually used a Jamaican jerk seasoning blend from Spiceology when preparing this dish, but that a former employee had also told her you can also McCorkmick for similar results.
So, Amy, this week’s recipe below is for you. And thank you, Tara!
Please note this is a restaurant recipe, so it makes a whole lot of sauce. You’ll probably want to half or quarter the ingredient amounts to prepare a smaller batch at home.
The Lucky Dill Deli closes
In local restaurant-ish news, The Lucky Dill Deli inside Axes & Ales on Capitol Street in downtown Charleston suddenly closed its doors last week via an unceremonious Facebook post announcing: “Today was our last day. We are now closed. Thank you for your past patronage.”
But local axe-throwing fans need not fret. “Coming soon,” the post continued, “Huddle & Hatchets!”
The name and logo make it look like a football-themed axe room is on the way – or maybe a sports bar showing games with axe-throwing on the side – but only time will tell.
Capital Cocktail Classic returns
This year’s Capital Cocktail Classic returns next month – this time with a new restaurant in the mix.
Fife Street Brewing will replace Black Sheep Burrito & Brews, joining returning locations DT Prime, Ichiban/Bar 101 and Sam’s Uptown Café in this Fund for the Arts fund-raiser in which four downtown restaurants and bars offer ticketed guests a special cocktail and tapas pairing at each location.
Then, at the end of the night, those same guests vote to crown the best cocktail, best appetizer and best pairing they enjoyed.
This year’s event takes place from 4-7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5. Early bird tickets are available for $50 through Sept. 28 and then increase to $60 until the day of the event, while supplies last. They may be purchased at https://bit.ly/4gbEvaQ.
Proceeds from the event support the organization’s 11 member art groups throughout the Kanawha Valley.
Stay tuned to The Food Guy leading up to this year’s event for a sneak peek at all of the food-and-drink pairings that await that night!
RECIPE
Tidewater Grill Jerk Shrimp Sauce
3 jalapenos, minced
3 Tbsp. garlic, minced
4 oz. cilantro, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp. olive-canola oil blend
3 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. allspice
2 tsp. cumin
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
16 oz. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
40 oz. mayonnaise
Combine jalapeno, garlic, cilantro and oil in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and combine all other ingredients, whisking until smooth.
Add additional seasoning to taste.
Recipe courtesy of MainStreet Ventures.
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Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy” who writes a weekly column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and has appeared in several state, regional and national culinary publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or at wvfoodguy@aol.com.