Sunday Brunch with Historical Dining and Azalea Bar and Garden--A Food Symphony of Contentment

Azalea Bar and Garden and Historical Dining are like Sunday brunch and mimosas, the perfect pairing. About forty hungry patrons came together at Summerville's new gathering place for the July 17 symphony of delectables composed by personal Chef Vince Dodson. It was a brunch fit for a king or queen.

The first movement in a symphony is meant to be lively and sets the mood for what comes after. The opening cup of yellow summer squash topped with a hint of roasted red bell pepper bisque with fresh greens topped with a creamy balsamic vinaigrette did exactly that. It woke up our taste buds and left them desiring more.

A melodious pairing of a deep dish quiche with caramelized fennel reduced in Italian Barbera wine and laced with Fontina cheese came next. As to the meaning of reduced, I have no clue, but it worked for me. The quiche was accompanied by seared chicken tenderloin with Portobello and Marsala wine with a touch of cream. It is here we got our first seasonings of history. Fontina cheese is old. How old? The first recorded mention of it was in the 1100s, and although Marsala is Italian, the wine with the same name owes its origin in 1773 to a storm and an Englishman named John Woodhouse.

The whole affair was brought to a finale with fresh crepes topped with a 60% dark chocolate sauce and fresh strawberries along with a goat cheese mousseline topped with a pomegranate sauce followed by a sweet red wine infused with layered Greek yogurt and pears topped with Moscato cream.

I was asked which serving was my favorite, and I said with conviction, "All of them." It was just the right amount of food for a Sunday brunch. And the mimosas, the first is complimentary. Additional cocktails, wine, coffee add-ons, and soft drinks were available for purchase, along with AB and G's full menu of signature craft cocktails.

New Summerville acquaintances Mike and Sherry

Historical Dining and Azalea Bar and Gardens' Sunday Brunch is a culinary symphony of contentment to your taste buds and a great event for making new acquaintances. Reserve your spot for the coming weeks. It is well worth the $35.

219 Cedar Street, Summerville, SC

Two Summerville Favorites Team Up--Azalea Bar and Garden and Historical Dining's Chef Vince Dodson

Azalea Bar and Garden at 219 S Cedar Street, Summerville's new cocktail hot spot, is the perfect place to grab a refresher plus one with your closest friends or significant other. A diversified list of craft cocktails are offered. My two favorites thus far are the Hemingway Daiquiri (White rum, lime juice, Maraschino liquor, grapefruit juice, simple syrup, and lime twist for $12) and Dr. Shephard (Sweet tea vodka, ruby port, pink lemonade, and fresh mint for $12). Specialty curated wine, a selection of local craft beers, and a menu of Southern favorites round out its unique presentations.

Dr. Shepard

Since its opening, it has collected a dedicated following of Summerville residents, goal achieved. However, successful businesses always find ways of becoming better, and Azalea Bar and Garden has just upped their game.

The Azalea Bar and Garden has formed a partnership with Historical Dining and Personal Chef Vince Dodson. Starting Sunday, July 10th, The Azalea Bar and Garden will open its doors to present a multi-course tapas-type brunch. The event will feature an alternating cuisine of French and Italian. Seating time is at 10 am and 1 pm promptly.

The menu will change each week and appear on Historical Dining's website and Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages. The price per person is $35, which includes a beverage. Credit cards and cash will be accepted during brunch service.

There will be limited seating, so make your reservations beforehand at Historical Dining. Reservations for each Sunday must be made no later than the Friday before. Enter your name, email, phone number, and party size to hold your reservation. For parties larger than ten, please email tricia1823@gmail.com or chefvincedodson@gmail.com or call (919)358-0768. Other dates available for reservations are July 17, 24, and 31.

The menu for July 10 is as follows.

STARTER: A cup of carrot and curry bisque accompanied by fresh greens topped with yellow bell pepper vinaigrette.

SOMETHING SWEET: Fresh crepes topped with a white chocolate sauce garnished with fresh raspberries and slivers of roasted almonds.

THIRD BITE: Deep dish Quiche with caramelized onions, fire roasted tomatoes, and laced with goat cheese. Garnished with cantaloupe and fresh grapes. Poached salmon in Sancerre wine piped into puff pastry topped with Val-Wa sauce. This sauce is named after the queen of Spain, Elizabeth Valois, 1545-1568.

LAYERS: Honey yogurt layered with fresh strawberries.

Parting Gift: Signature roasted almond banana nut Bundt cake.

Azalea Bar and Garden article.

Historical Dining article.

Azalea Bar and Garden--Summerville's New Hot Spot with the "It" Factor

The Azalea Bar and Garden rises over S Cedar Street like a welcoming evening blue sky, inviting you to steal away a few moments of time to soothe your soul while you schmooze with your closest of friends in its aura. Enter through its door, and you step through what seems like an Einstein–Rosen bridge whisking you to the kind of parlor room you would have experienced at the Pine Forest Inn.

For a brief moment, I imagined seeing Teddy Roosevelt seated at one of its small tables in front of the full wall hand-crafted bookcase filled with an assortment of old books and various figurines, reading the News and Courier. Across from Teddy, Dr. Shepard sipping on one of the bar's signature cocktails on its green couch. At the bar, Edna St. Vincent Millay discussing literature and fragrances with Florence Nightingale Graham over a glass of wine. Then, I saw a cell phone, and I was back to 2022.

Thursday was the highly anticipated grand opening for the Azalea Bar and Garden. The opening time was 4 pm. I arrived around 6 pm. By then, almost every table was occupied, including the seating at its intimate, fully stocked bar. My friend, local lead guitarist Dave Keller, and myself were escorted to a table near an ornately mantled fireplace. Our server introduced herself and placed an elegant menu with a feel of leather on our table accompanied by a complimentary bowl of caramel glazed popcorn, which proved to be quite tasty to munch on while I perused the list of offerings and waited for the arrival of my selections.

For a drink, I chose from the list of ten Signature Cocktails. Dr. Shepard was a blend of Sweet Tea Vodka, ruby port, pink lemonade, and fresh mint for $12. From the list of small plates, I chose the Pimiento Cheese with Flatbread Wedges, which was house-made chilled pimiento cheese with warm flatbread wedges for $8. Other choices on the menu included a list of six Classic Cocktails. From that list, the Hemingway Daiquiri caught my attention. It was a mixture of white rum, lime juice, Maraschino liquor, grapefruit juice, simple syrup, and lime twist for $12. For those who wanted to skip the buzz, there was an assortment of non-alcoholic cocktails and desserts.

The Azalea Bar and Garden is a well-thought-out, intimate space with hints of Summerville's past spread throughout its furnishings and menu. The good times had by all were unmistakably heard in the conversation and laughter that filled the air. Owner Will Rizzo visited the various tables to extend a welcoming handshake, gauge customer satisfaction, and clear tables. Our server, Katie, was priceless (I hope I got the spelling of her name correct). She was hospitable, attentive to our questions, and happily willing to indulge in small talk. For patrons wanting to enjoy Summerville's pleasant evening weather, the garden area in the back offered plenty of seating on a brick-accented patio surrounded by plants.

There is no doubt the Azalea Bar and Garden is the Birthplace of Sweet Tea's new hot spot for residents and visitors to gather to refresh old friendships and start new ones. A place where you can soothe your soul and uplift your spirit. I raise my pleasing glass of Dr. Shepard in congratulation to this new winner for Summerville. The big

definitely has the "It" Factor.

219 S Cedar Street, Summerville, SC