On our last full day in Charleston, we started with breakfast at Hominy Grill.
Mike got the big nasty biscuit which had fried chicken and cheddar on it with sausage gravy.
I had huevos rancheros which was two poached eggs, black beans, rice and salsa on a tortilla.
And because all that savory clearly needed to be followed by something sweet, we got the ginger pumpkin bread to share. It must have been broiled or toasted or something. It was perfect.
After breakfast we drove to Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. The biggest attraction here is the USS Yorktown, a decommissioned aircraft carrier.
Mike was in the Navy and was on a submarine so checking out the USS Clamagore was the first place we stopped. Although this was a diesel sub, a lot of it the equipment, the layout and the accommodations were similar to Mike’s sub. We spent at least an hour inside as he explained things to me both in terms of his job and what life was like living underwater.
The first thing he explained was the Steinke Hood, a device used to save yourself from a sinking submarine. As if the thought of sinking isn’t bad enough, imagine this scary looking thing being your savior.
We started in the torpedo room and made our way through the sub.
They had these recruitment posters on the wall.
I learned how the bathrooms worked.
They named their engines.
It’s been a while since these instruments were calibrated.
This was the center line of the sub hung over the doorway.
Then we boarded the USS Yorktown and visited the Medal of Honor Museum before going all over the aircraft carrier.
Finally, we visited the USS Laffey, a destroyer which had been attacked by Japanese bombers and kamikazes in WWII.
We drove back to Charleston and spent the afternoon walking through various alleys and streets checking out the homes and gardens.
And we stopped along the way for some drinks and something to eat at the Southend Brewery.
That night we had dinner at Poogan’s Porch.
Mike started with the fried alligator salad with pickled sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and honey jalapeno dressing.
I think my spinach salad was a special that night. It had brie, apple and tomatoes with a bacon vinaigrette.
I chose the plantation fried chicken stuffed with smoked gouda, spicy collards and country ham for my entree. It came with whipped potatoes, green beans and a Texas Pete jus.
Mike got the hand cut pork chop which was grilled with apple butter and served with brussels sprouts and smoked bacon sweet potato hash.
For dessert, Mike got the chocolate pecan pie.
It might look like pasta with a cheese sauce but there is actually only a half cup of Parmesan in there. It’s pumpkin! And sure, today might have finally felt like spring but this sweet and savory dinner hit the spot.
