Peachy the Magazine June July 2014 | Page 100

Fresh and local dining in Charleston The FIG team, led by Chef/Partner Mike Lata and Manager/Partner Adam Nemirow, works with local farmers, growers and purveyors to source products with integrity, flavor and soul, and incorporate these seasonal offerings into menus each night: “The result is food that is honest, straightforward and pays homage to the bounty of the Lowcountry region we are so privileged to call home. Using ingredients at their peak and preparing them minimally and with respect allows us to capture the essence of the season and bring it straight to your table.” As Lata notes, “When you eat at FIG, you taste produce grown in the Lowcountry’s distinctive sandy soil, fish caught in our briny waters and livestock raised on our pastures, all of which is grown and harvested by people we know and love.” Sample entrees include Butter Basted Soft- 98 PEACHYTHEMAGAZINE.COM shell Crabs with Yukon Gold purée, cauliflower and piquillo pepper piccata, Fish Stew in Cocotte with White Shrimp, squid, mussel, potato and rouille, and Pan Roasted Alabama Ribeye with salad verte, roasted potato and sauce bordelaise. Lata continues: “When FIG opened, over 10 years ago, I described the restaurant as farm-to-table and market-driven. At the time, it was one of a kind in Charleston and among a few of its kind on the East Coast. The best way to describe it, then and now, is still the same. Our market-driven menu fluctuates according to the product that is available day to day. We use whatever vegetables are in season to make variations on salsa verdes, romescos, Caesar salads (kale, for example). Although not initially a fan of the expression ‘market-driven,’ I’ve given up not liking the term because there is no better description.”