The increasingly affluent Charleston suburb of Mount Pleasant now hosts a number of ambitious restaurants, perhaps none better than Ben Berryhill’s Red Drum Gastropub. My plate of Wood Grilled Quail & Venison Sausage ($25) held twin piles of succulent single-boned quail topped with “spicy pepper hash.” The birds bracketed dense but flavorful game sausage. Skillet cheddar cheese grits were bubbly and probably the best ground hominy I’ve tasted, both blended and topped with white cheddar. The cheese’s browned crust sent this dish into the stratosphere.

Unless you’re a half-wit, the only viable option at The Salt Lick is to order family style ($15.95 per person) – unlimited portions of sliced sausage links, pork ribs and beef brisket. All the meats came slathered in burnt-orange sauce. The ribs were especially succulent, with bronzed skins and tender meat that was infused with sauce and smoke. The brisket was juicy, with a nice quarter-inch smoke ring and caramelized crust. The links could have featured crisper casings, but they were still juicy and had good flavor. The most eagerly anticipated part of the meal is always the burnt ends – prized caramelized brisket crusts that form when the slathered sauce is buffeted with oak smoke.

Don’t discount Sienna just because it’s situated in a planned community outside Charleston. Chef Ken Vedrinkski is still producing astoundingly good Italian food. For “Berkshire Pork in Two Preparations,” a rich braised pork cheek was strewn with roasted salsify slivers and crispy bits of pancetta. The cheek was set on a bed of farro “risotto” that had been blended with just enough Parmesan to add a subtle creaminess to the grain. Two adjacent slices of pork tenderloin Parmagiana were pounded thin and fried until crispy, topped with mozzarella, toasted pine nuts and sweet pear compote. Both preparations utilized spinach.

The original Stroud’s on 85th Street served their final chicken dinner on December 31, 2005, victimized by a Kansas City roadwork project. Thankfully, the country manor north of town is still dispensing pan-fried birds with crisp, bronzed skin. I expected big things from the chicken, but the accompanying cinnamon rolls took me by surprise. The warm cinnamon and sugar-dusted beauties were phenomenal. And since they weren’t drowned in sickly-sweet icing, they weren’t heavy. My waitress was even kind enough to give me a bag of four hot rolls to go.

While all of the appetizers were compelling at the crown jewel of the Lowcountry dining scene, none compared to The Grand Tasting of Homemade Charcuterie, with twelve house-made varieties (made from eight different animals) and an equal number of condiments, a dazzling display of color and texture. The dish was presented with a basket of assorted crackers and flatbread. The five rows quickly led to sensory overload, but the overall effect was startlingly good. Here’s the tally, courtesy of our waiter, Fabien: Charcuterie: Duck Rillette, Salumi Cacciatore, Chicken Liver Parfait, Monkfish Liver Torchon, Foie Gras Terrine, Mushroom-Goat Cheese Terrine, Venison-Foie Gras Terrine, Beef Bresaola, Coppa, Pate de Campagne, Cured Egg Yolk, Potted Shrimp. Mustards: Saffron, Orleans, Apple, Violet, Pommery. Pickles: Okra, Watermelon Rind, Garlic, Cornichon. Mostarda: Rhubarb, Apple, Fig.