Unfortunately HUSK Greenville has closed. Let’s remember them fondly.

When your favorite Chef opens a restaurant in your neck of the woods…

Now I know that Chef Sean Brock isn’t really affiliated with the HUSK franchise anymore, but he was when we visited three times last year. Anyway, his legacy is felt even now. Last year we visited four times. Twice for dinner, once for brunch and once for lunch. Below you will find what I had each time and some photos.

If you’ve never been to a HUSK (they now have four throughout the South), it is an experience. They source most everything from your local farms. The menus between restaurants are very different because of that. When HUSK Greenville was announced, I started wondering… What is the cuisine of the Upstate of South Carolina? Turns out, it’s pretty good. He borrowed from old Cherokee Indian stuff, Appalachian stuff and of course leveraged local produce and proteins.

The whole thing you must understand, the point of HUSK is to use hyper-local ingredients that are prepared in a way that is consistent with the region. Also, the ingredients are the stars, no question. If you want overly seasoned or sauced food, go somewhere else. You taste all the ingredients, at their prime and in a way that enhances not overpowers them. Some people just don’t get that and walk away disappointed and that’s a shame.

Of all the amazing things I ate, here are two surprising standouts.

• Benne Crackers. If they sold those, I’d buy a bushel of them.
• HUSK Banh Mi. This was so ridiculously good. Being HUSK and being the South, the protein was fried country ham and fried bologna.
• Crispy Pigs Ear might be one of the best things we’ve ever had. Every flavor and texture all in on dish.

Dinner – January 2020

• Baked VA Oysters, Crispy Sunflower Butter, SC Meyer Lemon
• VA Duck Leg, Grilled Sweet Potato, Sea Island Red Peas, Hurricane Creek Grits, Red-Eye Gravy
• Eclair with Toasted Marshmallow

Dinner – December 2019

• Crispy Pig Ears, Pan Fried Cabbage, Turnips, Poached Egg, Five Spice Sausage, Soy Broth, Scallion
• HUSK Selection of Southern Cheeses, HUSK Benne Crackers, Cameo Apples, SC Peanuts
• VA Duck Leg, Grilled Sweet Potato, Sea Island Red Peas, Hurricane Creek Grits, Red-Eye Gravy
• Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream

Dinner – March 2019

• Providence Farms Smoked Pork Chop, Mustard Spaetzle, Braised Purple Cabbage, Blackberry Jus
• Some kind of Chocolate Pie

Dinner – June 2018

Starters

• Call Me Ol’ Fashioned  – Medley Bros. Bourbon, Hearth Smoked Sugar, Orange Peel, Husk Bitters Blend
• Roasted VA Oysters, Bloody Mary Butter, Celery, Lemon
• HUSK Cured Meats, Benne Crackers, Mustard, Pickles

Entree

• Cowboy Ribeye
• Charred Summer Squash, SC Pecans
• Embered Cauliflower, Everything Bagel Spice

Dessert

• HUSK Frozen S’more House Graham Cracker, Toasted Marshmallow

Brunch – February 2018

• HUSK Bloody Mary (22 Ingredients): Cathead Vodka, Country Ham, House Made Pickle
• Eggs Benedict, HUSK Fried City Ham, Sourdough English Muffin, Red-Eye Hollandaise

Dinner – January 2018

• HUSK Cured Meats, Cherokee Bean Cake, HUSK Apple Mustard, Pickles
• HUSK Pimiento Cheese with Anson Mills Benne Crackers
• Cornmeal Dusted Catfish, Collard Greens and Potlikker, Carolina Runner Peanut-Satsuma Salad
• Apple Pot Pie

Lunch – November 2018

• HUSK Banh Mi (Fried Country Ham and Bologne), Cabbage Chow-chow, Pepper Mash Mayo, Mixed Greens Salad