Dining Duo Griffens + El Charro

Griffens

Pre-game
Nick: We wanted to get something downtown and wanted a place where we could get some drinks and watch some of the Wednesday night baseball game. Great outdoor patio and a cool night made Griffin's a solid choice.
Katie: I love the location of Griffin's and wanted to sit on its patio so I could people watch while Nick watched baseball. Besides the great layout, I heard they had different drink specials each night.
The Scene
Nick: Separated into an indoor and outdoor section with a very sports bar feel to it, the nice TVs make it so no seat misses any of the action, and plenty of drink specials for pitchers and wings make it a prime place to set up shop with a group while watching a game. On ladies' night they have a $2 "you call it," which is pretty great but it's only for the ladies so guys, we'll stick to the pitchers of Bud Light.
Katie: Long gone are the menu choices named after different athletes, with a revamped menu and the Griffin logo displayed on the doors and servers' shirts, this place is looking pretty snazzy. They do in fact have different specials each night but it isn't just limited to drinks; they have food specials ranging from tacos to pasta. As for my drink selection, I did the ladies' night "you call it" $2 cosmopolitan (which was delicious and smooth).
A Look at the Menu
Nick: Sandwiches, salads, appetizers, a very pub fare mentality. They have a couple lesser-known beers on tap; it's your classic bar food.
Katie: For the pub fare mentality they also had more salad selections and a wider range of appetizers, such as fried green tomatoes.
The Taste Test
Nick: I decided to go with a Magic Hat to quench my thirst, which was a nice change from Busch Light, and a Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich. The sandwich definitely left something to be desired - I expected a little more flavor out of it - and the fries just seemed a touch too bland seasoning wise. Katie's salad was made with all fresh ingredients, which is sometimes rare in bars.
Katie: I ordered a Santa Fe salad, a side of fried green tomatoes, and another drink (it was a long week). The Santa Fe salad had fresh ingredients and came with green peppers and sliced avocado. It was served with cilantro lime vinaigrette, which was a little too tangy for my preference. The fried green tomatoes had bleu cheese on them, which was a nice touch, and the dipping sauce was delicious. The second drink I ordered was a nuts and berries. The nuts and berries was not part of the $2 "you call it" but it was a delicious creamy drink, preferable for dessert.
Impressions
Nick: With the location and atmosphere, and of course the almighty drink special that seems to be a requirement for any downtown establishment, Griffin's is a good place to grab some wings and brews. The food, although not what I expected, is a few tweaks to being a must-go-to place. The TV placement is key because it separates Griffin's from the other sports bars downtown. You have a TV in clear vision pretty much anywhere you turn, and being a sports nut this is very helpful when your team is on.
Katie: Griffin's is solid choice, when you want to eat or get a drink downtown with a nice view and breeze. It is a sports bar, and the ample televisions provide great access to the games.

 

 

 

El Charro

Pre-game
Katie- With a great assortment of Mexican restaurants in the Clemson area, I was interested in seeing how the newest one, El Charro, would compare with the others.
Nick- El Charro was closer than all the other Mexican restaurants being right across from Bi-Lo, and they always have tiki torches going every night, so I figured we should give it a try.
The Scene
Katie- El Charro is vibrantly painted in an orange palette that allows for an upbeat, fun mood of the restaurant. There is an outdoor seating area and a separate bar area allowing options for seating preference. Nick and I arrived at lunch time and were promptly seated by the friendly staff. Lunch time is definitely more laid back than the advertised night scene which boasts drink specials on tequila shots, margaritas and beer.
Nick- They have a lot of colors going on for certain, but it truly ass a more authentic Mexican vibe to it. From the music to the décor, they have it down pretty well but still touch it off with a great HDTV in the bar. The patio will definitely be nice once it cools down a little bit more.
A Look at the Menu
Katie- Standard Mexican favorites such as fajitas, burritos and nachos as well as seafood, a separate lunch menu, house specials such as pollo fundido ( grilled chicken breast topped with sautéed onions and cheese dip, served with rice beans and a salad, very yummy) and the option to make your own combo with vegetarian options available.
Nick- Your standard combos of burritos, tacos, fajitas, rice and beans take no variation here; it's Mexican - you expect the normal items, and they do not let you down. But looking at the table tent I noticed something very intriguing. Thursday night one dollar tequila, yes that's right $1 per shot, as well as $1 drafts, and we all know the old saying "Tequila makes her clothes fall off."
The Taste Test
Katie- I ordered a taco salad, a margarita on the rocks and split cheese dip with Nick. The complimentary chips and salsa is definitely my favorite in Clemson. The cheese dip was served warm and was great mixed with the salsa. The taco salad was served in a tortilla bowl and consisted of chicken, lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and beans. The salad was not overwhelmed with sour cream and had plenty of beans in it. (I was also happy to see that it did not have a chicken bone in it, a concern I have when ordering taco salads, since I have found bones in other restaurant's taco salads in the past.) The margarita had the perfect proportions and was not overwhelmed with tequila or lacking salt. I'm not that much of a beer drinker, but I took a sip of Nick's Dos Equis Amber, and it was very smooth and refreshing.
Nick- Well I started with the biggest container of beer they had a 32 oz. of Dos Equis Amber which was $3.25, not at happy hour when it is only $2.75. The queso cheese was better then Monterrey's and Moe's. I opted to get the burrito and enchilada with rice. A bountiful feast is how I would describe the potion size. I even took some home, and at about 4 a.m. Thursday that enchilada was still delicious.
Impressions
Katie- El Charro has a vibrant personality and tasty, fresh Mexican food. The atmosphere is perfect for
a lunch catching up with friends or on an evening of margaritas on the patio. I will definitely be back again, to try out their daiquiris and house specials. P.S.They deliver too!
Nick-Nicer than the other choices you have in Clemson, reasonably priced but still a bit higher then the Monterrey's. Thursday night is definitely the time to go as a replacement for the typical downtown Clemson routine. Cheap drinks and reasonable prices on large portions of food make it a good place to take a date, or you can just rely on the cheap beer and shots to find a date.

 

Dining Duo- Jittery Joes + Brioso

Looking at The Tiger ( Clemson U's newspaper) I found a bunch of the old Dining Duo and Dining Divas articles. Aw memories. . .  So here they are!

 

 

The Dining Duo

Jittery Joe's Coffee

Katie is from the suburbs of Washington, D.C, and on her victory lap as a senior. After former Diva Amanda graduated Clemson (and is now a graduate student at Georgia State), she decided on recruiting Nick to bring a male perspective and some red meat to the column. Nick is originally from Maine and has grown up with family in the restaurant business.
Pre-game
Katie- What is a college town without its fair share of coffee shops? Lucky for Clemson students we have both corporate and local coffee shops. I have only been to Jittery Joes by use their drive-thru. I was excited when Nick was groggy and needed coffee so we decided that a coffee shop would be our first endeavor for the semester.
Nick- I was really dragging from my long day of classes, so what better way to get a jolt of energy for studying then some coffee. So KS and I went to Jittery Joe's, is a coffee shop located right near Crawford Falls. It's a short drive from on or off campus, making it a perfect refueling station on the way to class or place to take a study date too.
The Scene
Katie- The inside of Jittery Joe's is very spacious and inviting, decorated in earth tones allowing for the perfect setting for studying, catching up with friends or group meetings (they have an upstairs you can rent out, which is a lot more exciting than a crowded library cubby).
Other bonuses are merchandise, take-home coffee, gift cards and frequent coffee cards (down 10 drinks and the next is on them).
Nick- The open-air atmosphere really makes it a place for meeting people: there was a group studying at a table, and a few people studying in the large room upstairs. The decor is not overbearing but still adds a nice touch. The layout of the tables makes it easy for a longer line to get to the counter without interrupting the busy students nearby.
A Look at the Menu
Katie- Newly added is the sandwich menu where you choose your meat, cheese and bread, and there are specialty sandwiches such as the rueben, chicken salad on a croissant and the Jittery Joes Club (ham, turkey and bacon).
Besides sandwiches, breakfast is offered with choices of biscuits, bagels, muffins, cereal, danishes and an assortment of baked goods, including a heavenly chocolate cupcake with cream cheese frosting.
The coffee ranges from your basic decaf and iced to espressos, mochas, hot stuff and cold treats.
Nick- Obviously they have a wide variety of coffee, and coffee drinks. I was especially surprised with their new sandwich selection, offering a bunch of different breads and meats, this is definitely a nice change of pace in place of your standard muffin, pastry, scone montage found at every other coffee shop. The crackkacino is a cup of coffee with 4 shots of espresso, this of course is not for the faint of heart; but for the last minute, all-night studier (like myself), this is liquid gold. There is also a large selection of frozen drinks which the lady folk seem to enjoy, but I'm more of a straight coffee man myself.
The Taste Test
Katie- In the past, I have stuck by my tried-and-true vanilla chai Frosty Joe. Their frozen chai is delicious and mixed well, which is a rarity for those who enjoy frozen chai lattes.
This time I tried a "lady folk" drink, the Ying Yang Mocha. I had mine iced, and it is a latte with dark and white chocolate that was refreshing and not overly sweet.
Nick- I decided to tone it down from the Crackkacino and opted for the Shot in the Dark, which comes with 2 shots of espresso. The coffee is top-notch, on a level with that of a Starbucks but at a much more student-friendly price. Even though it was close to 10 at night the coffee was still fresh, which if you've ever had old coffee, it's terrible. I would personally recommend the Shot in the Dark to anyone looking for a good burst of energy.
Impressions
Katie- Jittery Joes is my recommended coffee place due to its drive-thru, upbeat atmosphere and great drinks.
Nick- Out of all the coffee shops in Clemson, Jittery Joe's has to be my personal favorite. The quality and variety of their menu is as good as any, but where they really take the lead is their prices. For any cost-conscience student, this is the place to go for a good cup of Joe.

 

 

Brioso  Fresh Pasta

 

Pre-game
Nick: So a new place in downtown Clemson, amongst the endless supply of sandwich shops, there had to be different to find here. Luckily, Brioso came to town; it has a great pasta menu with equally impressive prices. So as soon as they opened, we had to give it a try.
Katie: With the past weeks of construction, I was eager to see what was going to be new downtown. After going downtown at night and seeing the beginning stages of the restaurant, I was eager to see the finished product.
The Scene
Nick: This place is in Clemson, S.C.??? When you walk in, you place your order and they hand you a pepper grinder. At first I was wondering, okay, how are they going to figure out where we sat? Every pepper grinder is different, so all the servers have to do is find where it is. The atmosphere is that of a city Italian restaurant, and no, I'm not talking about the Olive Garden in Anderson. The high ceilings and close tables create a nice noise level without having to yell across the table to get some more bread. The open kitchen allows you to see what's going on, which is a nice change.
Katie: Beautiful interior with artwork and an impressive-looking bar. We sat at a table in the back near the giant cappuccino machine. From our table we got to watch the hubbub of waiters and diners and felt as if we were in a city.
A Look at the Menu
Nick: Pasta, pasta, and more pasta, it is an endless mixing and matching. You pick your pasta; I went with the five-cheese ravioli. Then onto your sauces, I opted for the Sorrentina, which was a mix of chopped tomatoes, hunks of fresh mozzarella, and basil. Also, I opted for a Stella Artois as opposed to wine, because I'm a beer guy.
Katie: Besides pasta, there are appetizers, salads and paninis. They currently don't have everything on their menu, but there were still many options available. Oh and did I mention dessert? There are traditional Italian desserts as well as a full gelato bar.
The Taste Test
Nick: If I knew any Italian, I'd use some adjectives to describe the food. I do not know any Italian, and I assume most of you reading this do not either. So plain and simple, this place is a knock out. I've eaten pasta in the North End of Boston, in Little Italy in NYC, and this is right up there and for a fraction of the cost. This is officially my first must-eat place of downtown Clemson.
Katie: Il cibo italiani ed il vino era deliziosi (sorry Nick). I ordered the artichoke ravioli with the arrabiata sauce (spicy red sauce), and it was delicious! I also took a bite off Nick's plate of the very fresh mozzarella and tomatoes. The bread in the beginning was served with olive oil and had a hint of rosemary to it. Even though I'm more of a martini girl (I like my men how I like my drinks, strong), I tried the Red Truck red wine, and it was excellent. Then for dessert, I couldn't resist the gelato bar. Even though it's gotten pretty chilly out, I ordered the tiramisu gelato and was an instant fan.
Impressions
Nick: Great food always makes for a great time; the atmosphere makes it even better. Brioso is top notch food, with great employees, and a scene that is extremely refreshing. Get your friends together or ask that girl in class you've been too nervous to ask out, and go enjoy some fresh pasta.
Katie: I will definitely be going back! Come to Brioso and experience la dolce vita.