Update – December 2024 – My favorite restaurant is going – ugh – Italian bistro. While I wish them every success, I did indeed manage to get the street corn recipe on my final visit. I will miss this place…
Marker 42 Lowcountry Cantina – on Front Street, in the heart of downtown.
I love to eat out, always have. My parents always took us to different places when I was growing up in the Chicago suburbs – Greektown, Bohemian, Mexican, Italian food, vacation seafood at the beach-good food, great times. After a day of burning calories on the Paddle & Hike, I stopped to cash those calories in at a place I’d visited on previous occasions – Marker 42 Lowcountry Cantina.
Being solo, I hate to take up a whole table, but I do appreciate being able to eat a meal comfortably. Marker 42 has a cozy horseshoe shaped bar, where the people are friendly, the chairs have backs, and the TVs aren’t blaring volume. I like being able to get a Mezcal margarita instead of a tequila one, made how I want it, and I haven’t stumped Marker 42 yet. The folks next to me ordered a cocktail they had the recipe for on their phone, and Amanda, the bartender, expertly whipped it up, no problem.
I appreciate service people who introduce themselves, so you can address them by name. Amanda provided great service as well as making a yummy, smoky margarita. There are so many good choices on the menu, she helped me decide when I was struggling to choose . Munching on the best salsa and chips in all of South Carolina, I finally chose.
Tonight’s winner was a dish called Mexi-Country Shrimp & Grits.
Traditional Shrimp & Grits is a Lowcountry staple, with about a million variations, with shrimp and grits being the only constants. Marker 42’s version was so spectacular, here I am writing about it, inspired!
This is the description of the dish from the menu –
MEXI-COUNTRY SHRIMP & GRITS
Sautéed shrimp & chorizo sausage in a mild green chile sauce topped with a fried jalapeño & corn grit cake with street corn, Cholula crema, cotija cheese & cilantro
I confess, I’m a shrimp snob. I get it, how difficult they are to clean and prepare, but I hate shells, tails, and gigantic, tough shrimp. The shrimp in this dish were sublime – perfect bite sized, clean, not overcooked or undercooked, The sausage bites were the same, not gigantic, not overpowering, tasty diagonal slices.
The creamy-but-light green chile sauce was the perfect compliment to everything. not overpowering, but enhancing the other flavors. The balance of sauce to everything else ratio was perfect, and there was something about how the dish was layered that was unique.
The grit cake was the heart of this meal, and helped to make it unique. The flavors and textures, with the sauce, mmmmm. Crispy on the outside, flavorful grits on the inside. Topped with a flavorful street corn crown, I knew I made the right selection.
It’s one thing to put these ingredients in a bowl, but the presentation turned out to not just be for show. Mixing the layers and the sauce with each bite actually made every bite unique.
How good was this dish? So good that I asked Amanda to go back and take a photo of the chefs for me, and give them my regards. Chef Ryan had brought my plate from the kitchen, and was clearly proud of it, and sincerely wanted me to enjoy it. Chefs don’t always realize it, but their state of mind and intentions carry over into what they serve up. Bitter chefs make bitter food. Angry chefs are heavy on the spices. These guys were serving up some creative joy!
I usually halve my dinners, eating half and saving half, because most American portions are obscene. Not this one. My bowl was completely cleaned. It was a perfect portion, I was satisfied but not overstuffed. I wish everything was portioned like this was. I know I spend my hard-earned calories from the day wisely.
I read that the actor/comedy legend, Bill Murray, recently stopped in Georgetown at dined at Root. Root is just down Front Street from Marker 42. BILL! If you’re reading this, you need to get back to Georgetown, but this time, try Marker 42. You won’t be disappointed!!
Marker 42 Lowcountry Cantina
929 Front St, Georgetown, SC 29440
843-461-9224
Disclaimer: I received no compensation for this review. I’m a fan, and I’ll be back!
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