AS THE ONION TURNS

The Glass Onion celebrates second birthday with special dinner

By Lorne Chambers
Editor

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Sarah O'Kelley and Charles Vincent lead a cooking demonstration at the Wine + Food Festival last week.

March is a magical month at the Glass Onion, a local restaurant that focuses largely on local ingredients. Not only is spring — and it's delicious bounty of vegetables — just around the corner, but we can still enjoy some of the cooler month's offerings, such as oysters, clams, and seasonal fish. Owners Sarah O'Kelley, Charles Vincent, and Chris Stewart make the best of what's available, rotating the Glass Onion menu to accommodate what Mother Nature has to offer.

March is also when the BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival is held downtown. This year, The Glass Onion was invited to lead a cooking demonstration at the prestigious festival. O'Kelley and Vincent, who are both from New Orleans and relocated to Charleston after Hurricane Katrina, were asked to prepare their delicious chicken and sausage jambalaya in front of some of the region's most discerning pallets.

But maybe the biggest reason March is so special at the Glass Onion is it's the month that owner's celebrate the restaurant's anniversary. The popular West Ashley eatery turns two this week and O''Kelley, Vincent, and Stewart have a few surprises up the chef coat sleeves. "Sometimes it seems like 10 years and sometimes it feels like 10 days," says O'Kelley. "But, of course, it feels great to reach two years. We're so proud of the evolution of our little restaurant and hard working staff, and are filled with gratitude for our loyal customers." In just two years, The Glass Onion is already a West Ashley institution.

As much as West Ashley loves the Glass Onion, the Glass Onion loves West Ashley. "Since I spend so much time on the floor I have gotten a chance to really know these folks - neighboring business owners, West Ashley families, and other F&B workers - and it has truly been a privilege," says O'Kelley. "This milestone is especially gratifying considering we have basically been getting a restaurant off the ground during pretty scary economic times. We could not have survived without our regulars who eat at the 'GO' two to three times a week."

O'Kelley and company are thanking the local community and celebrating their milestone with a pretty impressive four-course tasting dinner this Saturday, March 13, from 6-10 p.m. "We will be offering tasting pours of every wine on our newly expanded 'green' wine list, says O'Kelley. "These wines are all sustainable, organic, or biodynamic, and they all come from small, locally-owned distributors."

The dinner itself will feature four "choice of" courses. Some of the highlights include: crispy lamb sweetbreads with pea tendril salad, local clam chowder, local grass fed-beef tenderloin with oxtail marmalade, and chocolate mousse. Look at the full menu, at www.ilovetheglassonion.com and look under "tasting dinner" under the menu button. There will also be live jazz with Ben Wells on bass and Sam Sfirri on keys.

Besides the Food + Wine demonstration and this weekend's Anniversary Dinner, 2010 is already shaping up to be an exciting year for O'Kelley, Vincent, and Stewart. They will be participating in the Chef's Potluck at Middleton Place in May, doing a dinner for the Sustainable Seafood Initiative in June, and plan on another beer dinner with their friends from the Charleston Beer Exchange some time in the near future.

The Glass Onion's Anniversary Dinner will be this Saturday, March 13, 6-10 p.m. Cost is $50 and is limited seating, so call 225-1717 to reserve your spot. The Glass Onion is located at 1219 Savannah Hwy.